


Once Upon A Wicked Time

by MedieavalBeabe



Series: Once Upon A Wicked Time [1]
Category: Once Upon A Time - Fandom, Wicked
Genre: Friendship, Multi, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-13
Updated: 2014-11-25
Packaged: 2017-12-11 18:54:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 52,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/802029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedieavalBeabe/pseuds/MedieavalBeabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Queen Regina unleashed the curse to bring all characters from the Enchanted Forest into modern Storybrooke, Maine, she didn't count on Rumplestiltskin and Wicked Witch Elphaba Thropp shaking things up for her. In this world, they're Mr Gold the Pawn Shop owner and Effie Tremaine the animal shelter employee but they've still got power...of a kind...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pilot

Storybrooke, Maine, was a quiet place. In fact, some might say it was boring, because it was so ordinary. No one ever came. No one ever left. Everyone was essentially frozen in time; due to a curse unleashed by the Mayor, Regina Mills. However, the only person who knew that was her adopted son, ten year old Henry. And tonight he was about to take the all important step towards breaking the curse...

In another part of town, Effie Tremaine yawned as she unlocked her front door and stepped into her apple green house. She was a tall, pale young woman with long dark brown hair and a cheerful demeanour. In fact, most people found it hard to believe that she was best friends with Mr Gold, who owned the town. A lot of people were scared of him, but he and Effie had been the best of friends since they were children and Effie liked him the way he was. She didn’t love him, well, not in that way; she felt he was more like a brother to her and that was they way they got on. 

Effie dumped her bag on the chair and went to make a cup of strong black coffee, if only to wrap her hands around it. Winter in Maine wasn’t anything like winter in Greece, as far as she knew; having never ventured out that far in her life. Someday, maybe, she thought. 

There was a curt knock on the door and Effie grinned. She knew that knock. She went to open the door. 

“Hey,” she said.

“Evening,” Mr Gold greeted her. “May I?”

Effie rolled her eyes. “You know you can,” she said, stepping back to let him in. 

“It’s always polite to ask, isn’t it?” he teased, stepping into the house. 

“Yeah, but you could always just threaten to raise my rent if I didn’t let you in,” she pointed out. “You do realise that I’m the only person in this tow you don’t terrorise, right?”

“That’s because you’re the only person in this town I don’t want to terrorise,” he countered. “Anyway, it’s been a hard day; I don’t think I’ve got any terrorising energy left.”

“Cuppa?”

“I’d love one.”

He followed her into the kitchen. Chistery, Effie’s pet Capuchin monkey, leapt up on the counter with a chitter. “Oh, hello, Chistery,” said Effie to him, “come to join us?”

Mr Gold wrinkled his nose. “Still got the fleabag, then?”

“Don’t be so jealous!” she chided him, handing him a cup of tea. “Anway, what’s been happening with you today? I’ve barely seen you?”

“Oh, the usual; dealing with customers, sorting out the nuns’ rent, everything.”

“Remind me again why you don’t like them?”

“They’re irritating,” he growled. 

“Mm,” Effie agreed. “I don’t mind Sister Astrid; she’s ok. A bit ditsy maybe, but not sickly sweet like the Mother Superior. I can’t stand her.” She hesitated. “I saw Archie earlier; he was looking a bit worried.”

“Why? Did he lose Pongo?”

“No. Apparently Henry didn’t turn up for his appointment.”

“I feel sorry for that boy,” Mr Gold said. “His life’s not his own.”

“Yeah,” agreed Effie. “The way his mother carries on; it’s no wonder the poor kid just doesn’t turn and run away when he has the chance.”

***

The guards in the Dwarf Mines straightened up at the sight of the young woman with green skin. They knew as well as everyone else in the realm of the Enchanted Forest who she was. They called her the Wicked Witch of the West, although to her friends she was known as Elphaba Thropp. Both guards tightened their grips on their weapons.

“I’m here to see the Dark One,” Elphaba said, refusing to be intimidated by them. After all, she had magic and they did not. 

“Get out,” growled one of the guards. “We know your kind. You magic lot aren’t welcome in this part of the kingdom.”

Elphaba sighed. “The biggest crisis in history is about to happen and you’re telling me that I can’t spend five minutes alone with my best friend? Shouldn’t you be home right now with your parents and loved ones?”

The guards exchanged an awkward look. “Well, I don’t know...”

“Please don’t make me use magic on you,” Elphaba said, firmly. “I really don’t want to have to do that.”

That did it. The guards scarpered. 

“Nicely handled, dearie,” said the voice of the Dark One from inside the inescapable cell. 

“Rum, you can come into the light; it’s only me, remember? I look worse than you do.”

Rumplestiltskin sprang up to the front of the cell, levitating from the bars. “I highly doubt that, dearie!” 

He did look terrible, far more manic than usual. “Yeah, you’re right,” Elphaba agreed. “Have you even slept?”

“You try sleeping in a draughty cell, Elphie.”

Elphaba smiled. “You look terrible.”

“Sorry, is this a social call or were you just popping by to mock?”

“When do I ever mock?”

Rumplestiltskin’s only response was a high-pitched manic giggle as he leapt back off the bars. How he still possessed such athletic abilities at his age was beyond Elphaba. She put it down to the Dark Curse. “You hid the dagger, right?”

“Still buried, dearie.”

“And you told Regina what to do to activate the curse?”

“Yup!” Rumplestiltskin clapped his hands together. “And , of course, I know now the all important name that will cause us to remember who we are when we hear it, Elphie!”

“Going to tell me what it is?”

“Not for free, dearie.”

Elphaba sighed. “Alright, what do you want?”

“Your allegiance, dearie, in this new world we go to.”

“You have it. Now, what’s the name?”

He beckoned her forwards and whispered to her. “Emma.”

***  
Effie didn’t usually take to walking around late at night, but after Mr Gold left, she got the feeling that something in the sleepy little town wasn’t quite right. Picking up her portable CD player and a disc of her favourite classical tracks, she decided to walk over to Clark’s convenience store, which was open until late, and buy a chocolate bar or something. She felt restless. 

Halfway down the street, however, she watched as a small yellow car pulled up alongside the pavement and a woman with long blonde hair and a red jacket got out of it. Effie didn’t recognise her, but she recognised the boy who leapt out the other side two seconds later. 

“Henry?”

Effie hurried up to him. Luckily he didn’t see hurt or traumatised. 

“Hi, Effie,” he smiled at her, adjusting the strap of his rucksack. 

“You ok? Archie said you didn’t turn up earlier.” Effie glanced at the blonde woman. She didn’t look threatening or fierce, so Effie offered her a smile. “Hi.”

“Hey,” the woman replied, not unkindly. 

“This is my mom,” Henry said, proudly. “My real mom.”

“Oh.” Effie was surprised. How the hell had he been able to trace her? Still, he was a smart kid for a ten year old. 

“I’m Emma, Emma Swan,” said the woman, holding out her hand. 

Emma...

Everything flashed back to Effie in that second. She was Elphaba, Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West, lover of the deceased Prince Fiyero, mother of Liir, and best friend to Rumplestiltskin, the former Dark One. 

“Hi,” she said, regaining her cool. Effie, she was Effie for now. “I’m Effie Tremaine; I work at the animal shelter.”

“And she has a pet monkey,” grinned Henry. 

Effie smiled at him. “Shouldn’t you be in bed, Henry? You’re mom...Regina’ll flip when she finds out what you’ve been up to.”

“I know, I know,” sighed Henry. 

“You know where he lives?” Emma asked. 

“Sure; the big house down the end of the street.” Effie pointed towards it. 

“Thanks.” Emma turned to Henry. “Come on, kid.”

“Bye, Effie,” said Henry. 

So, that was Emma; Snow White and Charming’s daughter. She certainly looked like she could take care of herself. “Take care, Henry,” she said, ruffling his hair. Now she just had to find Mr Gold.

***

Elphaba was pacing in her tiny room at Kiamo Ko castle. She had said her farewells to Rumplestiltskin, who had assured her that they’d still be best friends in this new world, and written a letter to the only other person in the world who really mattered to her; Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, her other best friend. Even though she hadn’t seen Glinda in years, she felt that she just had to tell her what was about to happen. 

Eventually, she heard Chistery, her flying monkey, landing on the window sill and she turned to see him hopping into the room. “Chistery, did you give it to her?”

“Ah-heh!” was the reply. Elphaba was doing her best to teach him how to speak Ozzish, but it wasn’t easy. Still, maybe when the curse was lifted, she would be able to pick up where she left off. 

“Come here,” she said, holding out her hand to him. Chistery took it and hopped onto her shoulders. Elphaba fastened her cloak tightly in place, straightened her hat and picked up her broom. “Time to fly,” she muttered.

As the purple mist of the curse began to swirl, cloaking the Enchanted Forest in evil magic, Elphaba leapt upon her broom and swooped into it...

***

Effie thought about phoning Mr Gold, but then was it really the best thing to do; tell him over the phone? In the end she decided against it and simply waited out the day at work, and then at Granny’s diner for a coffee and brownie when she was done. 

“Hey,” chirped Ruby, brightly filling up her coffee cup. “So, did you hear about this new woman in town, Emma Swan?”

“Yeah, I met her last night,” Effie replied. “She seems nice; nicer than Regina, anyway.”

Ruby giggled. “I can’t believe that Henry found his real mom. Do you think she’ll stay in town?”

“We can only hope,” Effie mused. She glanced over at Granny, who was making coffee. “Is Granny ok, Ruby? She seems a little...stressed.”

“Oh, it’s just rent day again,” Ruby explained, sighing. 

“Ah.”

“Can’t you get Mr Gold to cut us all some slack? I mean, you are his best friend.”

“I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything.”

So it was that Effie made her way to Mr Gold’s house that evening. He wasn’t in, so she waited on the porch, musing. Had he met Emma yet? He usually made it his business to know things like this.

She had her answer in the next ten seconds as he came up the garden path. He spotted her. “Elphie?”

“Rum?”

He grinned at her. “You remember?”

“So do you!” Effie hopped off the porch and hurried up to hug him. “You met Emma, then?”

“Obviously,” he replied, drily. 

“So, now what? We kill Regina?”

He chuckled. “I wish, Elphie! We’ve got to wait for Emma to break the curse before we can let that happen.”

“So, what, we do nothing?” Elphaba sighed. “I thought it would be all action once we got our memories back, not a waiting game.”

Mr Gold grinned. “I think I have something that might cheer you up. Come with me.”

He led her towards the Pawn Shop. Baffled, Effie followed him inside. “I hadn’t realised how much of everyone else’s stuff was in here before, Rum,” she commented, brushing a speck of dust of the creepy puppets that had once been Gepetto’s parents. 

“Some stuff of yours is here too,” he said, going into the back room. “It’s all become a little higgledy-piggledy without a caretaker here...”

He broke off. Elphaba sighed. “I’m sorry there was now way...she could come here.”

He swallowed the lump in his throat and reached for what he was looking for. “Here,” he replied, emerging and holding it out to her. 

“My broom!” Elphaba cried, seizing it. “Oh, I’ve missed this!”

“I’m afraid you won’t be able to fly until we get the magic back, Elphie, sorry.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Elphaba grinned. “As long as we can shake things up for Regina.”

“Oh, we’re going to, dearie,” the former Dark One promised. “We’re going to.”

Elphaba giggled. “You know, I suddenly feel wicked again!”


	2. The Thing You Love Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma's shaking things up in Storybrooke, much to the chagrin of Regina and the delight of Mr Gold and Effe Tremaine...

The next morning, Effie was woken by the sound of general chitchat outside her house. Still half asleep, she dragged herself out of bed. “What time is it?” she mumbled to no one in particular before walking into the door frame in her dozy state. “Ow!” She rubbed her forehead. “Was I this clumsy back in Oz?”

Pulling her jacket over her pyjamas, Effie grabbed her keys and mobile and left the house. Several of the townsfolk had gathered around the clock, above the old boarded up library. Archie was there with Pongo. Effie went up to him. “Hey, what’s going on?” she asked as Pongo began to play up for her for a fuss.

“The clock’s working again,” Archie told her, pointing. Effie looked up and saw that it was no longer stopped at eight fifteen, as it had been for the last twenty eight years. “I guess they got someone in to fix it at last.”

“Looks like it,” Effie agreed, patting Pongo. “Are you seeing Henry later today?”

“Yeah, I think he wants to talk to me about his mom.”

“Which one?”

Archie chuckled. “Madame Mayor. Come on, Pongo. See ya, Effie.”

“Bye.” Effie quickly pulled out her mobile and called her best friend. He answered almost immedietly. “Hello?”

“Were you sitting on your phone or something?” she asked, in surprise.

“Maybe. What’s up?”

“Did you know the town clock’s working again? Is that because of Emma?”

Mr Gold laughed. “Elphie, you can out any miracle in this town as being down to Emma.”

“Well, just as long as she gets under Regina’s skin, that’s all I care about. Are you busy today?”

“Not particularly, dearie, why?”

“I was wondering if you wanted to grab a coffee later, say, six thirty-ish?”

“I’ll meet you at Granny’s.”

“See you there.” Effie hung up and went back home to get dressed. Now she remembered who she was, she could look at the town of Storybrooke from a new angle. Any change, even a tiny little one, would make some kind of difference. 

***

Elphaba was busy flicking through the Grimmerie at Kiamo Ko when the doors were flung open by a force of magic. Startled, she turned, half expecting to see Rumplestiltskin standing there, somehow free from his prison. But it wasn’t him. It was the Evil Queen. 

“So,” sneered Regina, striding into the room. Her high-heeled boots clip-clopped like a pony’s feet as she moved, echoing loudly throughout the castle. “The rumours were false, after all? The Wicked Witch of the West wasn’t melted, after all?”

Elphaba smirked. “You know, I am really surprised you bought that one, your Majesty. But then, sometimes people are so empty-headed, they’ll believe anything.”

Regina scowled. “And here was I hoping to rid the land of one unwanted pest.”

“You’re lucky I don’t strike you down right here, right now for what you did to Nessa!” Elphaba growled. “And then you try to turn Glinda against me too?”

Regina tossed her head, defiantly. “I didn’t come her looking to argue with you, Witch.”

“No, I’m sure it just comes naturally,” Elphaba sniped, folding her arms. “So, why are you here?”

“I know that you helped the Dark One to create the Dark Curse.”

“And?”

“And it didn’t work for me.”

“Oh, that is a shame,” Elphaba said, sarcastically. “Oh, I am so heartbroken for you, your Majesty. Shall we bring out the liquor and drown our sorrows?”

“I sacrificed the heart of my prized steed,” sneered Regina, “but Rumplestiltskin said that wasn’t enough.”

“It’s the curse to end all curses, Regina, the most evil curse ever created. Of course the heart of a dead horse isn’t going to work. You must be thicker than your make up to believe that.”

Regina slammed her palm against the wall. The castle quivered. “He said it needs the heart of the thing I love most! Is that true? Or is there another way?”

Elphaba scoffed. “What makes you think I’ll tell you?”

“I’ll make you a deal.”

“I’m not in the habit of making deals with you, your Majesty.”

“You like animals, don’t you, Witch?” Regina smirked. 

Elphaba hesitated. The Queen had found her Achilles heel. “So?” she asked, stiffly. 

“In this new world, I could make it so that you have a job to help your precious animals. You can keep that snow monkey pet of yours. And people will like you and won’t think you’re some kind of freak, but one of them.”

Elphaba hesitated. She knew that Rumplestiltskin would have made a similar deal with her. “One on condition,” she said, turning to face Regina. “You make it so that Rumplestiltskin and I are still best friends in this new world too, and we have a deal.”

“Done,” snapped Regina. “Now, is there another way?”

“No.” Elphaba folded her arms. “No, there isn’t. The final part of activating this curse requires an act so evil that it not only sacrifices what you love most but also sacrifices the last tiny ounce of good in your own heart. Are you willing to take that step all for the sake of revenge, your Majesty?”

Regina scowled. “I’m willing to go as far as it takes.”

“Then what’s stopping you?” Elphaba asked, coolly. 

Regina turned and swept from the room. Elphaba smiled. “Chistery, do me a favour. Go and find out if she does it or not.”

***

“Hey, Effie!”

Effie looked up. She was walking Lady, Tramp, Dodger and Angel, the shelter dogs, past the schoolyard. The speaker was Henry’s teacher, Mary Margaret. Or, as she now remembered her, Snow White. 

“Hey, Mary Margaret,” she smiled, stopping by the fence for a chat. “How’s Henry doing? Is he ok?”

“I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time,” Mary Margaret told her. “It’s because of Emma. There’s something about her, I think, she seems so...refreshing.”

“Compared to Regina, that’s not hard,” grinned Effie, and they both laughed. “So, um, are you still doing that volunteer work at the hospital?” Effie asked. 

“Yeah. There’s one of their newer patients, David Nolan, who’s in a coma. I’ve been reading to him. I don’t know if it does any good, but at least it feels like I’m doing something.”

“Well, hey, tell Dr Whale that if he’s ever short on volunteers, I’d be happy to help.”

“I’ll do that. Well, better get back to class.”

“Say “hi” to Henry for me, ok?”

“I will. Bye, Effie.”

“Bye, Mary Margaret.” Effie watched her walk back into the classroom. “Like mother, like daughter,” she murmured. “I wonder if that’s why Emma’s like she is, or is it just something to do with being born of True Love.”

Dodger tugged on his lead. “Ok, ok,” Effie smiled, leading them down past the school and around the block. There she almost bumped into Regina. “Pardon me, Madame Mayor,” she said.

Regina flinched as Tramp sniffed her ankles. “Can you keep those filthy things away from me?”

“They’re not filthy, I just bathed them,” Effie snapped. “Speaking of keeping things in line, how’s Henry? I hear his real mom’s in town.”

Regina scowled at her. “That con-woman who gave him up?”

“Con-woman? You want to run a DNA test on that? I’m sure Dr Whale would be happy to oblige. He owes me a favour for getting Mr Gold to go easy on him rent-wise.”

“That won’t be necessary, Miss Tremaine. I have a feeling that Miss Swan won’t be sticking around this place for much longer.”

“Why?” Effie folded her arms. “What did you do? Cut her brakes? Poison her apple? What?”

Regina glared at her. “I’d watch your mouth if I were you, Miss Tremaine. I could run you out of this town like that.” She snapped her fingers. Effie blinked. “I run this town.”

“Actually, if I remember rightly, I think that Mr Gold runs this town, Madame Mayor,” Effie reminded her. “And since he’s my best friend, I think it’ll be a snowy day in July when he decides to run me out of town. Have a good day, Madame Mayor.” She swept past her. “Oh, by the way, I did wonder where Henry got his looks from. Now Emma Swan’s in town, I see it.”

It was a simple way of getting under Regina’s skin, but it worked. 

***

Chistery crouched by the window of the Evil Queen’s castle. She was being comforted by her father, her faithful Valet. “We can find happiness together,” he told his daughter, hugging her. 

Regina tearfully looked at him and smiled. “I think you’re right. I think I can be happy.” Then, she stabbed him. Her father stared at her in shock and disbelief. “Just not here,” Regina whispered as he fell dead at her feet. “I’m so sorry.”

Chistery chattered in excitement and took off back to Kiamo Ko. Elphaba, busily enchanting the castle and furniture in the hopes that once the curse hit they wouldn’t be destroyed, looked up as he landed back in the room, chittering and hooting in excitement. “Slow down, Chistery,” she said. “Did she do it? Did she kill her own father?”

“Ah-heh! Ah-heh!” chattered Chistery, nodding. 

Elphaba put a hand over her own heart. “Oz rest his soul,” she murmured. “For a moment there I didn’t honestly think she’d have the heart to do it.”

***

Effie was walking past Regina’s house, on her way to meet Mr Gold at Granny’s when she heard the noise. A loud buzzing sound. For a second, she thought Regina’s garden must be infested with giant bees and then she spotted the source of the noise. Emma Swan was hacking the branches on Regina’s precious apple tree with a chainsaw. 

Effie felt her jaw actually drop. In the whole history of Storybrooke, no one had ever defied Regina in such a manner. 

“What the hell are you doing?” screamed Regina, running towards Emma. 

“Picking apples,” replied Emma.

“You’re out of your mind!” cried Regina.  


“No,” snapped Emma, “you are if you think a shoddy frame job’s enough to scare me off. You’re going to have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, I’m coming back for the rest of this tree. Because, sister, you have no idea what I am capable of.” Emma threw down the chainsaw. “Your move.”

As she left, Effie walked up to her. “Wow,” she said. 

“That felt good,” Emma admitted. 

“I’ll bet it did.” Effie grinned. “You were on fire back there. I see I’m going to have to stay on the right side of you from now on.”

Emma laughed. “That should be easy enough; just don’t try to frame me or get me into trouble with the police and we’ll get along just fine.”

“Well, this is gonna be all around town tomorrow, you know, but don’t worry. Everyone’ll be on your side. No one in this place likes Regina. They’ll be glad that someone other than Mr Gold finally stood up to her.”

“Thanks. Well, I’d best get going.”

“You’re not leaving town, are you?” Effie asked. 

“Not as long as Regina wants me gone,” Emma replied. “I’m just going back to the hotel.”

“Well, look,” Effie pulled out one of the animal shelter business cards in her bag and scribbled her name and mobile number on it. “If you ever need help, with Regina or anything else, give me a call. Being best friends with the man who owns this town really pays off.”

“Thanks,” Emma took the card. “I’ll see ya around, I guess.”

“Yeah, see you. I have somewhere I need to be right now too.”

With that, Effie practically skipped off towards Granny’s diner. “Any reason you’re late?” Mr Gold asked her, handing her a cup of coffee. 

Effie glanced at the clock. “Hey, I did say “ish” not “on the dot.” Anyway, I’ve got something to tell you and I think you’ll want to hear it.”

He pricked up his ears. “And what would this be concerning?”

“Just Miss Swan, Regina’s honeycrisp apple tree and a chainsaw.”

When she had finished telling the tale, Mr Gold smiled. “Well, well, well. Looks like Miss Swan has more fight in her than Regina anticipated.”

“Like mother, like daughter,” Effie agreed. 

“I think it’s time I paid Madame Mayor a little visit.”

“Mind if I tag along? You know how much I love watching you get under Regina’s skin.”

“I’ll be glad of your company, Elphie.”

Effie hesitated. “She named Henry after her father, didn’t she, Regina?”

“I think so,” Mr Gold replied. 

Effie shuddered. “Sometimes I still can’t believe she killed him. I mean, he was her father...”

“That’s why neither of us could have activated the curse,” Mr Gold reminded her. “Neither of us could have sacrificed what we loved most. Especially when one of us no longer has them. I’d have had to use the next best thing, and even then, I wouldn’t have been able to.”

“Next best thing?” Effie glanced at him. “Without...Bae...and Belle...what’s left for you to care about that much?”

“You know,” he growled. 

Effie grinned. “I want to hear you say it.”

“Fine,” sighed the former Dark One. “The next best thing would be my best friend, and I wouldn’t be able to take your heart out, much as I wish I could sometimes kill you, Elphie...”

“Gee, thanks!” Effie laughed. “Love you too and all that!”

“Come on, let’s go find Regina,” Mr Gold muttered, finishing his coffee. 

Effie grinned at him. “I don’t know why you get so worried about letting people in. I mean, this is me you’re talking to, Rum. I’ve known you since...forever.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t let you in,” he joked. 

They made their way over to Regina’s house. She was tending to her tree. It looked a mess, sawdust and apples everywhere and a lot of branches chopped off at rough angles. 

“What a mess,” Mr Gold commented.  


“Not for long,” Regina replied, coolly. “What can I do for you two?”

“We were just in the neighborhood and thought we’d pop by,” Effie replied. “And survey the damage.”

“Lovely to see you in such high spirits,” Mr Gold added.

“Well, it’s been a good day,” Regina replied, with a hint of a smirk as she got to her feet. “I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance.”

“Emma Swan,” Mr Gold raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes. I imagine she’s half way to Boston by now.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t bet on that. We just saw her strolling down the main street with your boy, didn’t we Effie?”

Effie nodded. “Yep! Thick as thieves, they looked!”

Regina blanched. “What?”

“Well, perhaps you should have come to me,” Mr Gold said, calmly. “If Miss Swan is a problem you can’t fix, I’m only too happy to help. For a price, of course.”

“I’m not in the business of making deals with you anymore,” Regina snapped. 

“To which deal are you referring?” asked Effie, hands in pockets. “I mean, you have made so many before, right?”

Regina scowled at her. “You know what deal,” she said to Mr Gold.

“Oh, right. Yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was?” Mr Gold glanced at her. “However did you pick it?”

“Did you want her to come to town?” Mr Gold said nothing. Effie stifled a giggle. “You wanted all this to happen, didn’t you? Your finding Henry wasn’t an accident, was it?”

“Whatever do you mean?” Mr Gold asked her, innocently.

“Where did you get him? Do you know something?”

“I have no idea what you’re implying.”

“I think you do. Who is this woman, his mother, this…Emma Swan?”

“I would say,” said Mr Gold, “you think you know exactly who she is. I really must be going. You coming, Effie?”

“Sure thing,” she said. 

They both turned to leave but Regina stepped in front of them. “Tell me what you know about her.”

Mr Gold plucked one apple and tossed it to Effie. He took another for himself. “I’m not going to answer you, dearie. So I suggest you excuse me. Please.”

Effie looked over her shoulder as they left. Regina looked gobsmacked. “Game set and match to us, I think,” she commented, tossing the apple and catching it before taking a bit. “Hey, she’s right. These are delicious.”

“When they’re not poisoned,” Mr Gold agreed.


	3. Snow Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effie's having nightmares and it seems Regina will stop at nothing to keep Snow White and Prince Charming apart...

“Fiyero!” 

Elphaba’s scream cut through the air like a knife. She tried to run forwards but she found herself overpowered by binding tree branches. That had always been one of Regina’s best spells. Elphaba struggled and screamed as she watched Fiyero being dragged forwards by Regina’s guards. The Magic Mirror watched, laughing as Regina produced a chainsaw. Her lips were as red as her poisoned apples and turned up in a smirk as her eyes fell on Elphaba. White apples lay scattered around the floor, white as mould. Elphaba found herself slipping into a faint as the sound of the saw ripped towards her, and then blood spattered upon the white apples, turning them red. 

“Fiyero!”

Effie jumped awake with shivers running through her whole body. Gasping for breath, she looked around her. It was ok. She was back in her room in her apple green house in Storybrooke. Panting, she ran her hands through her mussed hair in shock. She hadn’t had nightmares like this for a long time. Reaching for the phone, she dialled the number of the one person she knew she could talk to.

“Hello?” said a sleepy voice. 

“Hey, Archie, it’s Effie,” she said, in a quivering tone. “I know it’s late but I just really need to talk to someone.”

“Oh,” said Archie, in surprise. “Um, well, I don’t usually do this after hours but maybe you should come by my office.”

“I’m really sorry it’s so late,” Effie mumbled. 

“Oh, it’s ok. I fell asleep on the sofa with Pongo. I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks, Archie.”

Effie hung up and began pulling her clothes on. She tried to push her dream to the back of her mind, but it wasn’t easy. The whole thing had shaken her. Snatching up her keys, she left the house. 

Alright, so Fiyero hadn’t been killed by a chainsaw...or had he? She had no idea. She hadn’t seen it happen. She just knew he was dead. Each time she reminded herself of that fact, it twisted like a knife in her heart, due to the fact that she hadn’t been there to stop it. Guilt. Pain. Heartbreak. They all rolled into one. 

She was at Archie’s office about two minutes before he was. “Sorry,” she apologised again. 

“Please, it’s what I’m here for,” he reminded her. He unlocked the door and she followed him into the building. “So,” he said, ushering her into the office. Effie took a seat on the couch. “Given the time, I’m guessing some kind of dream?”

“Another nightmare,” she nodded. “You remember I used to have them years ago?”

“I do.” Archie flipped through his files. “Yes, here; to do with death and a young man, am I right?”

“Yes, Archie. Now I know who the young man was. He was, um, what’s the phrase, an old flame in my youth who died. I wasn’t there when it happened. Maybe if I had been, I could have done something...” She broke off, twisting her hands in her lap.

“You feel guilty?” the former cricket prompted, gently.

Effie nodded. “I should have been there...but I wasn’t...”

“Where exactly were you, Effie?”

Effie thought and sighed. “I don’t even remember now. I just know that I went out for something...important and he came to my place. I didn’t even know he’d be there. When I came back...” She put a hand over her mouth and shook her head, willing herself not to cry. “It was awful.”

Archie patted her hands. “You don’t have to go into detail, Effie, if it hurts too much.”

She nodded and pulled herself together. “I-In the dream, he was being killed by Regina.”

“Regina?”

“Mm. You heard about Emma vandalising her tree, right?”

“Oh, yes!” Archie chuckled. “I heard about that.”

“I think the chainsaw might have triggered it off. Regina had a chainsaw, in the dream.”

Archie nodded. “Sometimes we do see things that trigger off memories. Like word association. You saw Emma’s vandalism as an act of violence, equal to what probably happened to your...”

“Fiyero,” Effie said. “That was his name. Fiyero.”

“With what happened to Fiyero,” Archie nodded. 

“Do you think there’s any way to get rid of the nightmares, Archie?”

“Well,” Archie patted her hand. “To my mind, Effie, dreams are our subconscious thoughts that take over our minds when we have no control over them. Memories are similar. Sometimes the two overlap. Whether or not they mean anything is debatable. But, um, when they’re based on reality, like memories, I don’t think there’s any way to stop them from happening, Effie. I’m sorry.” Effie sighed. “But talking about them can help.”

He offered her a smile. Effie managed to return it. “Yeah, you’re right, Archie. I do feel a little bit better now.” She got to her feet. “I think I’d better get back to bed.”

“Well, you know where I am if you need me,” Archie replied, getting to his feet. 

“I do. Thanks, Archie.”

***

In the Enchanted Forest, Elphaba stretched lazily in the branches of a shady oak tree. Dressed in black and with her green skin, she was perfectly camouflaged within its branches. She wondered how Rum was getting on; what was he up to right now? Still gathering ingredients for the curse, no doubt. She ought to be helping him, really, but it was too nice a day. 

Suddenly, from below her, a voice called out “Witch! Wicked Witch of the West! I command that you show yourself!”

Elphaba looked down to see a young prince wielding a sword circling the ground below her. She frowned. Was that Prince James?

“You command me?” she repeated, springing down from the tree branch to land on her broom and sail neatly down to his level. Hovering where she was, she folded her arms. “I’m not Rumplestiltskin, you know. I don’t answer to anyone.”

The prince stared at her. “So, it’s true. You can fly. And you are green.”

“Yes, I’m green; no, I’m not sick; yes, I’ve been this way all my life, and no, I did NOT eat grass as a child!” she snapped. “Now what do you want?”

“There’s a girl in this forest, a woman,” Prince James began. 

“Aw, let me guess; you love her, she’s different to all the rest, you want to marry her and have babies with her and live happily ever after, end of?” Elphaba said, raising her chin. 

The prince flushed. “No! As a matter of fact, she stole from me and my fiancée and I want our property back.”

“Well, what’s that got to do with me?” asked Elphaba, coolly. 

“Well, I need help.”

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. “Ok.”

“Ok?”

“When you give me one good reason why I should.”

Prince James sighed. “Because my father’s King George and he won’t be too happy that I’ve lost the family jewels.”

Elphaba thought about it. “Yeah, that’ll do. What do you need?”

“I need to know where she is.”

“Ok, what did she look like? There’s a lot of young women around this neck of the woods; you’d be surprised.”

“Well, she was tall, dark hair, skin white as snow...”

“Ah!” Elphaba grinned. “Well, I think I can help you. She resides in a crude shelter made from a log about fifteen miles, where’s North?” She checked the wind direction and pointed East. “That way.”

“You’re on the level? You’re not lying?” the prince double-checked. 

“I don’t lie,” Elphaba replied, folding her arms. “The Dark One can tell you that.”

“Wow.” Prince James smiled. “I guess you’re not so wicked after all.”

“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear,” she told him. 

***

“Effie?”

Effie jumped, realising she’d fallen asleep at her table in Granny’s. “Huh?”

“You ok, sleepyhead?” asked Ruby, grinning at her. 

Effie groaned and rubbed her eyes. “Oh, sorry, Ruby. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Aw!” Sympathetically, Ruby put her head on one side. “Late one? Did you have a date last night?”

“No, I had a nightmare last night.”

“Oh, you poor thing!”

“Well, whaddaya gonna do? I’m ok now, though. I talked to Archie and it seemed to help.”

“Yeah, he’s a cool guy,” agreed Ruby. “Refill?”

“Sure,” Effie replied, “I’ll need it.”

“I know that Mary Margaret had a date last night,” Ruby said, filling her cup for her.

“Really? With whom?”

“Dr Whale.”

“Seriously? Whale?”

“Uh-huh. I don’t think it went well, though.”

“Good,” Effie replied. “She can do a whole lot better than him.”

“Effie!” giggled Ruby.

“What? She can!”

“Speaking of which,” muttered Ruby as the door opened. Effie glanced over her shoulder at the sight of her best friend. 

“You know he’s not such a bad guy, Ruby,” she said. 

“Whatever. You’re on your own, kid.” Ruby scooted off.

“You look bloody awful,” Mr Gold greeted her. 

“Blame Regina,” Effie mumbled, rubbing her face. 

“What’s she done?”

“Killed my true love.”

He understood and slid into the seat opposite her. “Another nightmare?”

“I think the chainsaw triggered it off. Archie agrees with me.”

“Oh?” Mr Gold raised his eyebrows. “Been seeking advice from the cricket again, have we?”

“Don’t be so jealous,” she sighed, but she couldn’t help grinning. 

“The Dark One doesn’t do jealousy, dearie.”

“Oh yes he does! What about how you always used to act around Glinda?”

He shrugged. “She reminded me of the Blue Fairy; what did you expect?”

Effie giggled. “That was just her style, Rum!”

Mr Gold grinned at her. “Well, at least you’re smiling now.”

“Yeah.” Effie sighed. “I just wish...well, you know...”

Mr Gold did know, perhaps better than anyone. “Bringing down Regina will bring some form of justice, dearie. Anyway, I haven’t told you my news yet.”

“What news?”

He grinned. “It seems our Princess Snow White and Prince Charming have found one another again.”

“Seriously? You mean he’s awake at last?”

“Aye. However...”

Effie sighed. “Should have guessed. Go on, what’s Regina done?”

“She’s married Charming to Princess Abigail so he and Snow can’t be together.”

“What is her problem?” sighed Effie. “I mean, it’s been, what, way over twenty eight years? Can’t she just see that she’ll never win?”

Mr Gold sighed. “I’m afraid I taught her too well, dearie; too well.”


	4. The Price of Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see Elphaba's side of the Cinderella tale and in Storybrooke, Effie's stress levels are pushed to the limit when she and Mr Gold row about his contract with Ashley Boyd...

“Dearie, I have a plan.”

Elphaba glanced up at her best friend. The manic glint in his eyes was back yet again. She sighed. What had happened to the man she used to know? He was still there, she was sure, and yet when he was like this, it was hard to see. “By “plan” do you mean scheme?” she sighed. “Oh, Rum, not another one!”

Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you still sore about the last one, Elphie? Come on, I said I was sorry.”

“Yeah, right after you laughed!” Elphaba pointed out. 

He grinned, but tried to hide it, at the memory. “Well...it was a bit funny...”

“Rum, I looked like a cactus for six weeks!”

“Do you want to hear my plan or not?”

“As long as it doesn’t involve backfiring and doing something embarrassing to your best friend again,” Elphaba replied, propping her elbows on the Grimmerie. “I’m all ears.”

Rumplestiltskin, satisfied, pressed his fingertips together and pointed them at her. “What do you know about magic wands, Elphaba?”

“Apart from the fact they’re pure evil?” Elphaba began to skim the Grimmerie’s pages. “Not a lot, although I think they were mentioned in here somewhere...”

“Your friend has one, doesn’t she? Miss Upland?”

“Glinda? Yeah, but how much magic she can actually do with it is beyond me.” Elphaba hesitated and looked up at him. “Dare I ask why you want to know?”

“I just want to know how powerful they really are.”

“I don’t know whether they’re the power you need, Rum.”

He frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that I don’t think they’re powerful enough to get us to the world without magic, where Bae is.”

Rumplestiltskin twitched at the mention of his son. If it had been anyone else, he would have accused them of trying to torture him with the memory of Baelfire, but it was only Elphaba, who loved the boy as if he were related to her, innocently pointing out what had happened and what he wished to achieve by gaining possession of the right magic to make it work. Elphaba found the right page. “Here, it says that,” Rumplestiltskin walked over and leaned over her shoulder to read it, “magic wands are only as powerful as their owners, depending on how skilled in sorcery the owner is. The most powerful wand known to exist today belongs to,” Elphaba read the name after several attempts, it was very difficult to pronounce, after all, “a powerful fairy godmother. And evil, I’ll bet,” she added. 

“Mm,” Rumplestiltskin agreed, leaning his chin into the top of her head to read. “That is interesting.”

“Rum, you have a very sharp chin.”

“Sorry, dearie.” He straightened up. “The question is how to get to it?”

Elphaba was about to say something like “Maybe the library archives at Shiz will have a clue” when the Grimmerie suddenly flipped its pages in one swift motion, turning them over and over by itself. Elphaba jumped. Rumplestiltskin looked startled. “It does that sometimes,” she explained. Finally, with a judder, the Grimmerie found the correct page and lay motionless. The two friends looked over it. The page showed a picture of a rural country house. In the background of the picture was a castle, with fireworks being let off in the sky. Beneath the illustration ran the words “Stately Chateaux , Eastbound, The Enchanted Forest.”

“Eastbound?” Elphaba glanced up. “Isn’t that where Prince Thomas has his castle?”

“It is indeed, dearie.” Rumplestiltskin grinned. “Are you coming?”

“To Eastbound? I’ve had enough of fairies to last me a lifetime, Rum.”

“In that case, I may be some time.”

He disappeared and Elphaba shook her head with a grin. She was getting used to this, slowly.

***

It struck Effie only the next day before she left the house that she didn’t have the Grimmerie anymore. More to the point, she didn’t know where it was. Her heart lurched. If Regina had it...

“Shit!” Effie exclaimed, leaving the house and hurrying down the driveway. She no longer cared about work. She just had to find that thing before Regina could lay her grubby little mitts on it. As she hurried across the road, a car suddenly pulled out and she jumped back several feet before it could hit her. The car braked, abruptly. “Hey!” Effie cried, angrily. 

The car door opened and Sheriff Graham stepped out. “Take it easy, Effie, you were in the road.”

“Yeah, I know.” Effie sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Sorry, Sheriff. I’m just a bit stressed at the moment.”

“So I see.” He nodded at her apparel. “You’ve got your jacket on inside out.”

She smiled. “Must you be so observant all the time?”

He laughed. “We could stand here all day chatting about that, but I need to be down the station and you need to be at work. I’ll see you.”

“Yeah, and hey, thanks for not arresting me for jaywalking,” Effie smiled.

“I can let you off when you’re in a daydream. Just don’t let it happen again.”

“Yes, Sheriff,” muttered Effie, stepping out of his way as he drove off. It was a pity, she thought, that he was so divided between his loyalty to Regina and his own conscience; he was a good man, and back when he had been the Huntsman, well, he had been one of the best. Still, worrying here wasn’t going to do any good and she hurried on her way. Passing by the school, she almost knocked into a group of teenagers filing into the yard. The sight of one she’d almost forgotten about until now made her heart lurch. 

Liir. All that remained of her lover, Fiyero. Her son. Fourteen years old, kind of moody and yet with a quality she couldn’t help loving. Here his name was Liam and he wasn’t hers. He’d been adopted by the same family who’d adopted the Hatter’s daughter, Grace. Her legs buckled and she caught hold of the nearest bin to steady herself. He never took any notice of her; to him, all she was was Effie Tremaine, animal shelter employee and best friend to Mr Gold. Regina was so cruel. It hadn’t been so bad before, when he used to look right through her, because she always hoped that one day he would come to feel that she was his mother as she had come to feel that he was her son. Now, however, they had virtually no contact.

Suddenly, anger filled her and she no longer cared about the Grimmerie. Turning on her heel, she stumbled off in the direction of Regina’s house. 

“What do you want?” asked Regina, with no tone of cordiality to her voice whatsoever as she opened the door. 

Effie wasn’t sure what to say. Naturally, she wanted to scream at the woman, even hit her, even beat her half to death with her broomstick, but she couldn’t do that without letting Regina know that she remembered who she was. “I want to talk,” she said, finally. 

“About what?”

Effie scowled at her. “You know what. My son.”

“Oh, still barking up that tree, are we?” sighed Regina, with a smirk. “You gave him up for adoption, Miss Tremaine, it’s all legal and above board, so that you could carry on with your animal rights protests without a child getting in the way.”

“I want him back.”

“Well, you should have thought about that before you gave him up, shouldn’t you?”

“You love this, don’t you?” Effie snapped. “Making other people suffer?”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Miss Tremaine. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

Regina made to shut the door but Effie put her foot in the way. “Get this into your head, Regina,” she hissed, causing the smug smile on Regina’s face to drop, “if I don’t get my son back, I’m going to make this very difficult for you, and you know I can.”

She turned and walked away, feeling defeated. Regina was right. The adoption was legal in this world. She had no right to ask for her son back. There was nothing she could do.

Suddenly she was reminded of the time when she had sworn off good deeds for good...

***

In Kiamo Ko, Fiyero’s castle, which had become her temporary...headquarters. It wasn’t home. Nothing was home. Nowhere was ever friendly enough to be a home for her. She was like a butterfly, a green, prickly butterfly, never in one place long enough to lick a stamp. She was too flighty for a home; she wasn’t born to settle. 

It was just after Sarima and her sisters and her children, Fiyero’s children, Nor and that other one, what was his name again, Irji, had been taken by the Wizard’s men and killed. Manek was already dead, curtosy of Elphaba herself. Well, he had it coming; he had been cruel to Liir; and as usual she had lost control. 

All who remained were Liir and Chistery. In all her frustration and terror, Elphaba had searched the Grimmerie for some way to rescue them in time but had found none. 

“Alright, enough, so be it!” she shouted, finally. “So be it then!”

The jackal moon was high. The Wizard was corrupting Oz; did he even know it? The Ozians believed her wicked. She did her best to mean well; but look what it did. No good deed ever went unpunished, it seemed. Or if it did, well, then Regina would twist it so that someone suffered and all those loyal to the Wizard, that wicked Wizard, blamed her. Elphaba wouldn’t have been surprised if the pair of them were in cahoots together. 

“My road of good intentions led where such roads always lead!” she realised, tossing the book shut. 

Nessa. Doctor Dillamond. Fiyero. Sarima. Her sisters. Her children. All gone.

“But was I really seeking good, or just seeking attention?” She didn’t know. “Is that all good deeds are when looked at with an ice-cold eye?”

Maybe that was the reason why no good deed went unpunished in the first place. 

“Let all Oz be agreed; I’m wicked through and through!”

If Liir could hear her shouting, it didn’t matter. He might as well know. Here his mother was, vowing forever to never let another good deed pass her lips or cross her mind for as long as she lived. 

“No good deed will I do again!”

***

“Rum?” Elphaba swung open the door with such vigour that the bell clanged loudly. “Rum!”

“Elphie, I think you’ll find the door sign says “Push” not “Shove with the same force as a hurricane!” muttered Mr Gold, not looking up from his work. 

“Never mind that,” she snapped, slamming her hands on the counter and causing him to blink at her in bewilderment. “Just listen!”

“What’s eating you?” he asked, in surprise.

“The Grimmerie! I don’t have it! Do you?”

“Your book of magic?” He frowned, trying to remember. “Now when was the last time I saw that?”

“Is it in the back somewhere?” asked Effie, desperately. “Can you check?”

“I can, but I was in the middle of something...”

“Oh, for heaven’s-!” Effie sighed and pushed past him into the back of the shop. “Can you never just say “Yes” and do something when someone asks you to, Rum? And how can you be so calm about this anyway? You know what’ll happen if Regina gets hold of that thing!”

“I’m not calm; I’m just in a good mood,” he replied, flexing his fingers atop his cane as he followed her into the back of the shop. “Cinderella’s due to pay up what she owes any day now.”

“And that’s another thing!” Her combined frustration and anger at Regina having taken her own child from her mingled with the fact that she hadn’t had a chance to reprimand Rumplestiltskin for making his deal with Cinderella for her child in the first place boiled over and she wheeled to face him. “What do you want with Cinderella’s baby anyway? You’d better not be planning to turn it into a Regina clone! You created a monster there, Rum!”

Mr Gold frowned at her. “Elphaba, what’s with you today? Has it been a full moon?”

Effie caught her breath. “Oh, that’s low even for you, Rumplestiltskin!”

He glared at her. “We’re done here.”

“You can cut that sentence in half,” she snapped, retreating to the door. “We’re done!”

As she banged it shut behind her, Mr Gold muttered to himself “If she carries on like this, I’m going to have to call the double glazing firm.”

***

Elphaba sat back on her heels watching the fireworks shooting off with a bang. This time she knew that the kingdom had something special to celebrate. Prince Thomas had married; a peasant girl named Cinderella was his bride. Elphaba knew the story. She had gone to the ball in a pretty frock and glass slippers and met Thomas and they had fallen in love, but she left before midnight and one of her shoes had come off and he had searched high and low for the maiden whose foot the slipper fitted and finally found her. True Love conquered all, yet again. 

“Tale as old as time,” she murmured, watching a large green firework crashing against an even larger golden one. Somehow it reminded her of her and Rumplestiltskin. Their futures were combined now. She’d agreed to stand by him no matter what, even though sometimes it was very hard not to just cut and run, or even worse, smack him in the mouth and then cut and run. 

Even as she was thinking this, he appeared beside her. She looked up at him and had to giggle. “Rum! What are you wearing?”

He looked down at the outfit he had procured for attending Cinderella’s wedding ball. “Just trying to blend in with the crowd, dearie.”

Elphaba laughed so hard that she rocked backwards and lay there, giggling. “You look like a dandy!”

“Watch it, dearie,” he teased, pointing a finger at her. “I could turn you into a snail, don’t forget.”

“You do that and you’ll regret it,” she replied, sobering up and sitting up at the same time. “Serioualy, Rum, lose the outfit, or I’ll be tempted to laugh again.”

He snapped his fingers and the fancy threads were quickly replaced with the more simple black leather ensemble. “Better?”

“Better.” He sat down beside her. “So, what did you even procure from Cinderella, anyway? What’s the price she has to pay for getting her happily ever after?”

“Guess.”

“Oh, come on, Rum. You know I hate guessing.”

“Come on, you get three goes.”

“Ok.” Elphaba thought hard. “A room full of straw you can spin into gold?”

“Strike one.”

“Something magical we can use in our curse?”

“Strike two.”

“Some kind of weapon?”

“Three strikes and you’re out.”

“I give up, then!” Rumplestiltskin gave a manic giggle. Elphaba glanced at him. “Go on, then, are you going to tell me or what?”

“You’ll know when it comes, Elphie,” he replied, simply. 

***

Effie spent the rest of the day on edge and didn’t see her best friend for the rest of the day. Ironically enough, she didn’t want to, for once in her life. Well, he had it coming, didn’t he? Some of this was his fault, not all, but if he hadn’t come up with the curse in the first place and then given it to Regina to use, she might still have Liir back in her life again; and she had an awful feeling he knew just where the Grimmerie was and didn’t want to tell her. She hated the way he toyed with people sometimes; especially with her. 

“Bad day?” Granny asked her as she served her a double espresso in the cafe’ that evening. 

“The worst, Granny, you have no idea,” sighed Effie, head in hands. “Just...everything that could go wrong did, put it that way.”

“Well, I’m sure things will look better in the morning,” replied Granny, comfortingly, before serving Effie a slice of her favourite chocolate walnut cake that she hadn’t even ordered. 

It was true, Effie reflected the next morning, as she lay waiting for her alarm to go off. She felt a little better and now, rather than telling her to be angry and stew all night long, her instincts were telling her to go and make it up with her best friend. After all, she reminded herself, she was the only friend, real friend, he had. 

To her surprise, as she left the house, she spotted him making his way towards Mary Margaret’s place. Was it her rent day already? Effie couldn’t keep up with them all. It was only when she got close to him she noticed the cut on the side of his head. That alarmed her. When was the last time she had seen Rumplestiltskin bleed?

“What happened to you?” she asked.

“Do you even care?” he asked, bluntly. 

“Well, obviously, that’s why I asked.”

“Our mutual friend Cinderella has decided to break her deal.”

“Good for her!”

He glanced at her. “Just whose side are you on, Elphaba?”

“Rum, you know what it’s like to lose a child. Must you be so stubborn about keeping deals all the time?”

“I don’t break deals with anyone, dearie,” he reminded her. “Even you.”

“That’s it!” Effie threw her hands in the air in resignation. “I definitely liked you better before the Dark Curse!”

“What?” he snapped back. “When I was a coward, dearie? Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, Miss Thropp,” he put the heavy emphasis on her name, “but this who I am now!”

“You’re still a coward!” she snapped, before turning and leaving him standing in the middle of the pavement. For once she was glad she didn’t have magic here. She was this close to losing control again. 

***

Elphaba’s scrying glass was showing her something odd. A frantic Princess Cinderella was in the middle of the palace gardens, with Prince James and some guards, calling out. What was she calling? Elphaba tried to make out the words. 

“Witch! Wicked Witch of the West! I command that you show yourself!”

“Jeez, what now?” Elphaba sighed, seizing her broom. “What am I; the Flying Sheriff or something?”

Nevertheless she was curious to know what was going on, and a part of her was prepared to swear that her best friend was behind it – since he seemed to be behind pretty much everything these days – and so she made her way by broom to Prince Thomas’ castle. “You know,” she commented, as she swooped down to land in the midst of their party, “a letter would suffice.”

Princess Cinderella, her pregnancy already showing, gasped but Prince James held up a calm hand. “It’s ok. She’s not as wicked as they say.”

“I think you’ll find I’ve changed somewhat since we last met, James,” she replied, “but I appreciate the compliment. Now, what’s up? Why have I been summoned like a fairy godmother in your hour of need?”

“Please, you have to help me,” begged Cinderella. “My husband’s gone, and it’s all because of that imp!”

She waved a hand over to some kind of makeshift prison cart. Elphaba squinted at it. The prisoner inside waved, casually, at her. “Rum?” 

“I tried to change our deal and he-!”

“Whoa, whoa!” Elphaba stared at her. “You did what?”

“I wanted to keep my baby.”

Now it all made sense. Elphaba groaned. “That was your price to pay? For your happily ever after?”

Cinderella nodded. “But now Thomas has gone and we can’t find him anywhere.”

“Please,” said James, “help us.”

“I wouldn’t bother if I were you, dearie!” called Rumplestiltskin in a sing-song voice.

“You’re in enough trouble already, Rum!” Elphaba snapped at him. “Don’t make it worse for yourself!”

“Worse? In case you hadn’t noticed, Elphaba, I’m trapped!”

“You’ll be trapped and dead in minute,” she muttered, turning back to Cinderella. “I honestly don’t see what I can do to help.”

“Use your magic,” insisted James. “You’ve got just as much power as he has, haven’t you?”

“Well, I’ll do my best. I have a scrying ball; I might be able to find him with that.” Elphaba groaned. “I did say I wouldn’t do anything good ever again. Still, alright, I’ll try. I’ll send my flying monkey scouts out to search if I do spot any trace of him.”

Cinderella began to cry. “Thanks,” said James, patting her shoulder. “At least try, please.”

Elphaba went up to Rumplestiltskin. The guards moved out of her way, probably afraid she might attack them. “Ok, what happened and how, because I’m going to need to know if I’m going to get you out of here,” she sighed. 

“I wouldn’t bother. It’s actually quite cosy in her, dearie,” he replied. “However, should you cross paths with the Blue Fairy, do me a favour and thank her for this, will you?”

“The Blue Fairy? She did this?”

“Mostly.”

“Now I’m really in a bad mood!” Elphaba muttered. 

“When are you ever not?” he teased. 

“How come you’re so calm about this?” she asked. 

“It’s all part of an elaborate scheme, dearie,” he replied, with a wink. “I’ll see you in the Dwarf Mines.”

***

News of what had happened with Sean and Ashley’s baby spread to Effie’s ears like wildfire. It was Emma who gave her the details as Effie passed her after work and enquired as to Ashley and the baby’s health. 

“They’re just fine,” replied Emma. “She’s called the baby Alexandra.”

“That’s lovely,” smiled Effie. “I must pop in and wish her congratulations. Maybe tomorrow, though. She must be exhausted right now.”

Emma hesitated. “Did you know that Mr Gold had made a contract with her for the baby?”

“Oh, yes,” sighed Effie. “I know all about that. Wait, what do you mean, had?”

“Well, he doesn’t anymore.” Emma explained. “I asked him to let Ashley keep the baby and he said yes.”

“Seriously?” Effie stopped where she was. “Mr Gold? Heck, you must have some powers of persuasion, Miss Swan!”

“Well, actually, he said he’d let her keep the baby in return for a favour from me, someday.”

“Ah! That explains it!”

“You’re his best friend,” Emma said, seriously. “Why does he do things like this?”

“Because,” sighed Effie, sticking both hands in her jacket pockets, “he’s been doing it for so many years that it’s hard to break the habit. It’s like trying to quit smoking; you think you can, but it’s just not easy.”

“Right,” Emma agreed, although she still looked suspicious.

“Anyway, I’d better get going,” said Effie. “Say “hi” to Henry for me, yeah?”

“I will,” called Emma as she set off in the direction of the pink house. She knocked and waited. When about three minutes had gone past and nothing happened, she assumed he must be about town and so she made her way down the garden path. Halfway down, however, she heard the front door open. She turned her head. “Hey,” she said.

“Hey,” he replied. He didn’t sound surprise to see her and his voice had a kind of tired relief to it. That was a good sign. 

“I, um,” she said, rocking back and forth on her heels, “I just wanted to say well done.”

Mr Gold looked at her, curiously. “For what, dearie?”

“For letting Ashley keep her baby. At a price, I know, to be paid by Miss Swan, but still...” She smiled. “I’m proud of you, Rum.”

He almost smiled. “Still think I’m a coward?”

“No,” she sighed, stepping up to the porch. “No, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.” They had a hug. “By the way,” said Mr Gold, suddenly, “I think I just remembered where I put the Grimmerie.”

“You do have it?” Effie asked, pulling away from him. 

“If I remember correctly, provided I’m not just thinking about the Dark Castle again...”

He led her into the house and she followed him up to the attic. “You kept it in here?” she laughed. “The most powerful spellbook ever created and you kept it in a damp and dusty attic?”

“Better here than in Regina’s damp and dusty attic,” he countered.

She smiled. “True.”

Mr Gold found a box, opened it and pulled out something wrapped in a velvet blanket. “Here,” he said, holding it out to her. Effie unwrapped it. It was the Grimmerie. “You know you won’t be able to use it, though,” he reminded her. “Without magic.”

She shrugged. “That doesn’t matter. At least when we get the magic back, we’ll be one up on Regina!”


	5. That Still Small Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba and Rumplestiltskin try to help Jimminy Cricket whilst in Storybrooke a tremor means that Henry, Effie and Archie end up trapped underground...

What do I make of puppet shows? Elphaba wondered. She wasn’t entirely sure. It was a funny form of entertainment and a lot of the puppets she had seen in Oz before looked rather grotesque and creepy. On the other hand, though, it made the younger children smile as they watched the miniature wooden people play out a story with a happy ending. Elphaba smiled as they all clapped and laughed and the young man who ran the show took a bashful bow. 

The groups of children and their parents swiftly broke up and Elphaba watched the man packing up the stall. He seemed distressed, she noticed; anxious and yearning. She hesitated and then walked up to him. “Good show,” she said. 

“Oh, thanks,” replied the man, nervously. It was the veil, Elphaba knew. It was the only way she could go out in public without anyone pointing at her and shouting out that she was alive. After all, she was still currently maintaining the illusion that Dorothy Gale had killed her. 

“You ok?” she asked, gently. “You look a little, well, stressed.”

He was about to reply when a woman from the nearby caravan barked “Jimminy!”

“Coming!” he called back, and then apologetically to Elphaba. “I’ve got to go.”

“Your mother?” she guessed.

“Yeah.” The man looked around, listening. “Do you hear the crickets?”

“Yeah. It’s pretty soothing, I find.”

The man sighed. “They’re free to be whatever they want to be.”

Elphaba understood. “You want to change your destiny?”

“Well, I just don’t think that it is my destiny to run a puppet show and...”

He broke off, sheepishly and began to pack up the stall. “And...what?” asked Elphaba. 

“Nothing.”

“No, go on, what were you going to say?”

“Promise you won’t judge me?” Elphaba mimed crossing her heart and nodded. “Pick-pocketing,” the man muttered. 

Elphaba almost laughed. “Trust me, that’s not the worst thing you can do to get by in life.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Look,” Elphaba muttered, “take it from the Wicked Witch of the West, there are worse things you could do.”

The man jumped. “Wicked-?”

“Shh!” Elphaba glanced fearfully around but no one was within earshot. “You can’t spread it around I’m alive; otherwise there’ll be an angry mob at Kiamo Ko before you can blink.”

“Oh. Ok.” The man hesitated. “So, is it true? You know magic?”

“I do.”

“Can you help me?”

Elphaba sighed. “Strictly speaking, I’m probably not the one to ask for help. But I do know someone who can.”

“Yeah?”

“What did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t. It’s Jimminy.”

“Elphaba.”

“I know.”

“Well, Jimminy, ever heard of the Dark One?”

***

Sitting at the park with her head in the Grimmerie, Elphaba sighed. She had had to make a large dust jacket for the thing so that Regina wouldn’t suspect what she was reading. Here it looked just like one of those prop spell books from a film; one that you simply opened which contained spells and potions; not the magical ledger that could open at will and find the spell it wanted you to use or the information you needed. Still, she sighed, at least some of the words in it were genuine. 

“Eleka nahmen nahmen ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen,” she read in her head, not trusting herself to speak the words aloud, in case Regina suddenly popped up. “Eleka nahmen nahmen ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen...”

Suddenly someone poked her and she jumped violently, almost dropping the book. Half-expecting to see her best friend grinning at her, she was surprised to see that it was Henry. He looked alarmed. 

“Hey, Henry,” she panted.

“Sorry,” Henry apologised. “I did say “hi” twice but you were reading, so...”

“Oh, that’s alright, Henry,” Effie replied. 

“You ok?”

“Yeah, well, I will be once my heart rate slows down,” she grinned. 

Henry sat down beside her and looked over at the book. “Is that the Grimmerie?”

Effie shut the book with an abrupt snap and turned to him. “How do you know about the Grimmerie?”

“It’s in here.” Henry tapped his story book. He grinned. “I know who you are.”

“Well, I should hope so, I mean you’ve known me ten years,” Effie laughed. 

“I mean in here.” Henry tapped the book again. “You’re Elphaba Thropp; the Wicked Witch of the West, only you’re not wicked, not really, ‘cause you’re against my mom and she’s the Evil Queen, and Elphaba was against the Evil Queen.”

“Well, that’s not really a lot of evidence to go on, Henry,” Effie pointed out. “A lot of people argue with your mother.”

“But there’s more. You like animals a lot and so did she. And you had a sister who died and so did she. And I know about your son. It’s not just a coincidence. And your pet monkey ‘s called Chistery, just like hers!”

“I never really saw Chistery as a pet back in Oz, Henry,” said Efie, without thinking. 

Henry stared at her. “You mean you know who you are? How?”

“Well,” Effie looked around to make sure that Regina was nowhere in sight before leaning forwards to mutter to him, “when the curse was created, Rumplestiltskin found out that if we got hold of the name of the person who could break the curse, we’d remember who we were when we heard it.”

“You mean when you heard Emma’s name, you remembered who you were?” exclaimed Henry.

“Yes. But that’s just between you and me.”

“And Mr Gold.” Henry grinned. “He’s Rumplestiltskin, isn’t he? I mean, he’s your best friend.”

“Alright, then, it’s just between you, me and Mr Gold.”

“This is great!” Henry grinned. “Now you can be in on Operation Cobra.”

“What’s that?”

“The plan to break the curse.”

“Got it.” Effie looked up in time to see Regina striding towards them. “Hey up, here’s the Evil Queen herself. I’d better scarper.”

Henry giggled and they both got up as Regina finally reached them. “Morning, Madame Mayor,” said Effie, clutching the Grimmerie close to her. “No Sheriff in tow this time?”

Regina gave her a defiant look. “Henry, you’ll be late for your appointment. Miss Tremaine, the Sheriff does have work to do today, unlike some, it would seem.”

“I have a day off,” replied Effie, “not that there’s much going on at work right now. Henry was just telling me about his book.”

“And Effie was telling me about hers,” added Henry, secretly winking at Effie. 

“Come on, Henry,” Regina said, steering “her son” away. “Goodbye, Miss Tremaine, and I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your literary views away from my son.”

Effie felt like clouting her with the Grimmerie. See, it still made a good weapon, even without magic. “Bye, Henry!” she called. “If you see Emma, say “hi” to her for me, ok?”

“Ok!” Henry called back.

Effie turned with a satisfied smile. At least she had managed to get the last word and get under Regina’s skin at the same time. Merrily she made her way to Mr Gold’s shop to see if he could do early lunch. 

“Well, look at that,” commented Mr Gold as she opened the door. “I won’t have to call the double glazing firm after all.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, frowning. 

“You didn’t bang the door for once.”

She grinned. “I can do if you want me to.”

“Don’t even think about it, dearie” he warned her, but playfully. “I might not have magic but I do have a cane that makes a very powerful weapon.”

“Fine, I’ll be good,” she grinned. “Fancy an early lunch?”

“Are you buying?”

She rolled her eyes. “I’ll think about it if you say yes.”

“Well, in that case,” Mr Gold replied, making his way around the counter. “Yes.”

That was when a violent shake rattled the whole shop and knocked the pair of them off their feet. The Grimmerie shot under a wardrobe, out of sight, the cane slid miles from its owner and something glass rolled off the counter and shattered with a tinkling smash that reminded Effie of the time she had caused Regina’s priceless crystal chandelier to break into a million pieces when she had once lost control. 

The shaking stopped and Effie pushed herself into a sitting position and looked around. “Rum?” She rubbed her elbow. “Rum? You ok?”

“Define ok,” he groaned, sitting up. 

Effie made a small groaning noise as she clambered to her feet, rubbing the places she had bruised before running to help him to his feet. Mr Gold made a similar noise as his bad leg twinged painfully and he gripped the side of the counter for support. “Cane, Elphie.”

She found it and handed it to him. “Did you hit your head?”

“Yes, and lot more besides,” he replied, grimly, picking up the pieces of broken glass from the floor. “Pity you didn’t bring your broom.”

“My favourite mode of transportation reduced to a normal sweeping brush; yeah, right!” Effie smiled, weakly. “I hope that wasn’t expensive.”

“No, just an old bottle.” He looked up. “Didn’t you have a book with you just now, dearie?”

Effie dived to the floor. “The Grimmerie! Where is it? It must have slid somewhere! Oh, wait, I have it!” She reached beneath the wardrobe and clasped the book to her chest. “Thank Oz!”

“Now, what,” said Mr Gold, “could have caused Storybrooke to suddenly shake like that?”

“Do you think it’s something to do with Emma?” asked Effie. 

“I’d be prepared to swear it. Come on, dearie. Let’s find out what’s going on.”

***

He was nervous, Jimminy didn’t mind admitting. After all, when people asked the Dark One for favours, the results were usually, well, perhaps not quite what they were hoping for. Still, if the Wicked Witch of the West had personally recommended him...

To his surprise, she was there in the room when he came in, sitting at the table, reading the great book that was the Grimmerie. Rumplestiltskin was spinning. Jimminy stared. Her skin really was green.

He put the bag on the table.

“Thank you very much,” said Rumplestiltskin. Elphaba looked up and smiled at Jimminy, who smiled back, nervously. “And the names? To whom did these treasures belong?”

Jimminy put down a list on top of the bag. Rumplestiltskin threw him a strand of gold thread as payment. “Gold thread – for your thievery. Thank you. You can go. But you want something else, don’t you? Something with magic.”

Jimminy swallowed. “Every year, I’m stuck in that damn wagon. I want to be free. I want to… I want to be someone else, but something keeps holding me back.”

“Something?” asked Rumplestiltskin. 

“Or someone?” Elphaba spoke up, closing the Grimmerie.

“It’s my parents.”

“Then I have exactly what you need.” Rumplestiltskin held up a potion bottle. “This will set you free. Pour it, sprinkle it, put it in their curds and whey… Anything will work.” Jimminy went to take it, but Rumpelstiltskin pulled it back. “Ah! But you have nothing more to give to me. Tell you what – after the potion has done its work, leave them where they are and I’ll come collect them. It’ll be my fee.”

“What will become of them?” Jimminy asked, nervously.

“Worry you not,” Rumplestiltskin grinned. “They’ll be in safe hands and you’ll be free.”

Jimminy glanced at Elphaba, as if for confirmation. She gave him an encouraging nod. He took the bottle and left. Elphaba turned to Rumplestiltskin, with one eyebrow raised, suspiciously. “Rum, were you telling the truth?”

He frowned at her. “When have you known me not to tell the truth, Elphie?”

“You know what I mean. You twist words like...like Regina twists minds.”

“Thanks for comparing me to Regina.”

“Sorry, couldn’t think of a better simile.”

“Elphie, that potion will do exactly what I told Jimminy it would do; it will set him free.”

“But how?”

He smirked. “You’ll see.”

“Mm,” Elphaba sighed, re-opening the Grimmerie. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

***

It transpired that some old tunnels had collapsed where a mine shaft used to be beneath the town and a mysterious sinkhole had opened up. “I don’t know what Miss Swan’s done, but it’s certainly got Madame Mayor shaken up,” Mr Gold muttered to Effie during lunch at Granny’s.

“Mm,” she agreed, “and about time too. Do you think they’ll fill it in?”

“They need to survey the damage properly before they do that,” he reminded her. 

“In the olden days,” she mused, “we could just fix things like that with magic.”

She wondered that night if this might sudden turn of events prompt magic back to Storybrooke in some way, shape or form but when morning came and she felt no different, she reminded herself that only one thing could bring magic back and now was not the time to use it. 

She pulled the Grimmerie out from beneath her pillow and hid it in the oven, which was usually the last place people thought to look when searching for something. She was paranoid about Regina suddenly learning she had it and stealing it from her. At any rate, she could come back at lunchtime and check it was still there. If it wasn’t, well, she’d cross that bridge when she came to it but it probably wouldn’t be pretty. 

Lunchtime rolled around fairly quickly and she was busily making her way back to her house when she spotted Henry running in the direction of the sinkhole. “Henry?” She stopped in her tracks. What on Earth was he doing? She looked around. There was no one else in sight. She groaned. “What happened to no good deed will I attempt to do again?” she sighed. Still, what kind of person would she be if she let something bad happen to her young friend. 

It was the Grimmerie or Henry and she was already running after him when she realised that she’d already made her decision. 

“Henry!” She caught up with him as he reached the entrance to the mine. She spun him around to face her. “Henry, what are you doing? It isn’t safe here!”

“My mom got to Archie and now he’s telling me that the curse isn’t real!” Henry pulled out a flashlight. “But I know how to get proof; in here.”

“No, Henry! That’s extremely dangerous!”

“So come with me!”

“Henry-!”

His shoulders slumped. “Now you’re against me too?”

Effie groaned and pulled him to her for a hug. “Henry, why do you have to be so goddamn cute and tugging at my heartstrings all the time?”

“So you’ll come?” Henry looked at her, hopefully. “Please?”

Effie sighed. “Well, I shouldn’t but I can’t let you go in there alone. Ok, but not too far. If the ground starts to shake at all, we turn back, ok? Promise?”

“Promise,” Henry promised. “Now, come on, let’s go.”

Effie followed him into the mine. 

***

Elphaba stared at the creepy little puppets in front of her. That tore it, she decided. She hated puppets. “Rum, what the hell-?”

“I said it’d set him free, dearie,” he reminded her. 

“But this...this is just...urgh!” Elphaba shuddered. “That does it! I’m going to have nightmares tonight!”

“Not my fault, dearie!” Rumplestiltskin grinned.

“All your fault, Rum!” she sighed. “Is there any way to change them back?”

“Nope!”

“Great!”

“Hey, I didn’t kill them,” he reminded her. “I keep my promises, Elphie.”

“You’ve as good as killed them. Still,” Elphaba sighed, glancing back at the things, “who am I to talk?”

***

“Henry, this is far enough,” said Effie. They had gone further than she had expected; looking back, she could no longer see the opening of the mine shaft. “We should turn back.”

“But we haven’t found anything,” Henry said.

“Well, maybe that’s for the best. Come on, before this whole thing collaps-!”

“Henry!”

They both turned at the sound of Archie’s voice. Two seconds later a sudden rumbling noise told Effie the mine entrance had collapsed. “Oh, no!” she groaned.

“Henry!” Archie appeared.

“Archie!” they both chorused.

“Effie?” He frowned. “You’re down here too?”

“Don’t ask,” she sighed. “Did the entrance collapse? Can we get out?”

“Not the way we came in,” he replied. 

“I knew you’d come to help us!” Henry chirped.

“No, Henry, listen. We got to get out of here, okay?”

Henry took a step backwards. “So, you’re still against me?”

“Henry...” began Effie.

“Henry, there’s no time for that,” said Archie, desparately. “Come on, Henry! Come on!”

“You don’t believe me? You’ll see. You’ll see!”

Henry turned and ran down the mine shaft.

“Henry!” shouted Effie. 

“Henry come back! Henry!” Archie shouted. 

“Oh, well done!” Effie snapped at him. 

“How is this my fault?”

“Henry looks up to you, Archie! He respects you! Can’t you just humour his belief even if you can’t believe it’s real?” 

“But it isn’t real!”

“Is that Regina talking or you?”

“Effie, you can’t tell me you believe it!”

“I do!” Effie turned and hurried after Henry. “Henry! Henry, come back!”

Archie ran after her. “Henry!” they both shouted. They found him shining his flashlight down a hole. “Henry, don’t run off like that!” Effie scolded him. “It’s dangerous down here!”

“There’s something shiny down there,” Henry said, pointing.

“Henry, Effie’s right, this is seriously dangerous,” Archie said. “We got to get out of here.”

“It could be something,” Henry insisted. 

“Henry, look at me! Look at me! I’m frightened for you, Henry,” Archie persisted.

Henry looked at him. “Because you think I’m crazy?”

“No!” exclaimed Archie as Effie glanced at him for confirmation. “No, because we are trapped underground in an abandoned mine, Henry. And there is no way out.”

“Henry, no one thinks you’re crazy,” Effie added, putting her hand on his shoulder. “I believe you, remember? Now, come on, we need to find some way out of here. There’s got to be a way.”

Together the three of them began to navigate their way around the mine. Effie stopped, suddenly and the others walked into her. “What-?” began Archie but she held up a hand to silence him. “Listen. Do you hear that?”

“It’s Pongo!” cried Henry as the barking reached their ears.

“Follow the noise!” cried Archie and the trio ran in the direction of the sound.

Meanwhile, back in his shop, Mr Gold was worried. He had phoned Effie about five times and she hadn’t picked up. That wasn’t like her. Something was wrong. He quickly seized his cane and made his way to the collapsed mine shaft, where many of the townsfolk had gathered. Passing by, he heard several of them murmur that Henry Mills was down there. Poor boy, he thought. He quickly sought out Emma Swan. “Miss Swan, have you seen Effie?”

“No.” Emma frowned. “I haven’t seen her all day.”

“Effie?” It was Marco who was nearby. “The last time I saw her, she was running after Henry, in this direction.”

Mr Gold felt his heart lurch. “What? Effie’s in the mine too?”

“So’s Archie,” Emma told him. “But we’re gonna get them out of there.”

In the mine, Henry, Effie and Archie had discovered what looked to be an old elevator shaft. 

“It’s to get the mine workers in and out,” Archie explained. “It goes all the way to the top.”

“That’s why we could hear Pongo,” Effie realised.

“Can we make it work?” asked Henry.

“Let’s give it a shot,” Archie said.

By turning a wheel on the side of the elevator, they managed to get it moving upwards. “Hopefully we’ll reach the top soon and they can dig us out,” Effie murmured.

“I’m really…really, really sorry,” Henry apologised to them. 

“It’s alright, Henry,” said Archie.

“I just wanted to find proof,” Henry said.

“We know,” Effie said, patting him. 

“You know, it’s really alright, Henry,” said Archie, awkwardly. “And um, um, I’m sorry, too. Look, I… I don’t think you’re crazy. I-I just… I just think you got a very strong mother, who’s got a clear idea of a path that she wants you to be on and when you step off that she… She gets scared. And, you know, it’s natural. But it’s also natural for you to be able to be free to think the things that you want to think. So, anyway. I… I didn’t mean those things I said and I never should have said them.”

“Then, why did you?” asked Henry.

“I guess I’m just not a very good person,” Archie sighed. “I’m not the man I want to be.”

Effie, to the surprise of both of them, laughed. “What’s funny?” asked Archie.

“You are, Archie.” Effie smiled. “You talk about not being the man you want to be; but you’ve made a better job of trying than I ever did. Everything I do just seems to blow up in my face.”

The elevator suddenly jerked and slipped down the shaft. 

“I think you can be him,” Henry said to Archie. “I think you can be a good person. I mean, you’re Jiminy Cricket.”

“Henry. Henry, Jiminy Cricket was a… he was a cricket, okay?” Archie sighed. “And he was a conscience. And… And I hardly think that’s me.”

“But before he was that, he was a guy who took a long time to figure out the right thing to do,” Henry pointed out.

“It’s true,” Effie nodded.

“That kind of sounds like me,” Archie said.

“Now it’s harder for you because of the curse,” Henry explained. “To hear the voice inside of you. To be who you want to be.”

The elevator jerked and shifted again. “Whoa!” Effie exclaimed. “That can’t be good!”

“Hey, Henry, can I ask you again?” asked Archie, glancing fearfully around. 

“Ask what?”

“Why do you think it’s so important that your…your fairy tale theory is true?”

“I don’t know.”

“Give it a shot.”

“Cause this can’t be all there is.”

“I understand.”

“Well, we could certainly use some magic right now,” Effie pointed out.

Henry nodded.”I thought if I found proof… But I didn’t find anything.”

“Well, that’s not true.” Archie smiled. “I was lost and you found me, right?”

“You mean, you remember?” Henry asked. 

“No, Henry. I… I don’t remember, but I-I do remember the kind of person I want to be. I just got to listen harder.”

Effie smiled. “Now that sounds more like Jimminy Cricket.”

Pieces of rock began to fall through the grate at the top of the elevator. The three of them looked up to see a light shining down on them.

“Wh-what’s that?” Henry asked.

“I think that’s the rescue,” Archie said.

“Either that or it’s the light at the end of the tunnel.” They both glanced at Effie who winced. “Sorry, force of habbit, making macabre jokes. Sorry.”

“You guys okay?” called Emma’s voice.

“Yeah, we’re… We’re okay.” Archie called back.

“Hang on, Henry,” Emma called, sliding down to them on a harness. “Okay, that’s good. Stop.”

“Here you go,” said Archie. “Help me, Effie.”

Together they managed to pass Henry up to Emma. The elevator began to shake.

“Archie?” Emma stared down at them. “Effie?” She didn’t have a spare hand to grab them with.

“It’s going to fall!” Archie realised. 

“I’m sorry!” Emma cried.

“It’s okay!” Archie said.

“Just get Henry out of here,” Effie said, and then the elevator fell down the entire shaft.

“Archie!” cried Emma. “Effie!”

Then, she gave a laugh of relief as she realised that Archie had hooked her with his umbrella and he and Effie were clinging onto it for dear life. “That’s it!” laughed Effie. “Next time I bring the broomstick!”

The four of them laughed. Then, slowly, they made their way out of the mine. As they reached the top of the shaft, they found themselves pulled out by the various citizens of Storybrooke. Regina hugged Henry. Marco grabbed Archie for a hug. To Effie’s surprise, and delight, Mr Gold was there too, making his way over to her as quickly as he could manage. 

“Don’t scare me like that, Elphie!” he snapped before pulling her into a hug. 

She gave a half-laugh. “You were scared? Imagine how I felt!” Then she gave him a firm hug back. “I’m alright, Rum, really; thanks to Archie and Emma.”

“I’m almost tempted to let her off that favour she owes me,” Mr Gold teased.

“You mean saving my life wasn’t that favour?” she teased back, pulling away from him. They watched as Regina coldly sent Emma to clear the crowd away rather than hug her son. “Could you ask the favour to involve Regina’s brain and a sledgehammer?” asked Effie, folding her arms. 

“Somehow, I don’t think that’d be enough to crush her,” Mr Gold replied. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m buying you a drink, Elphie; you look shaken.”

“One second.” Effie ran over to Archie, who was still standing with Marco. “Archie.”

“Hey,” he said, with a smile.

“Look, I’m sorry I shouted at you down there. I was just frustrated...”

“Nah, it’s ok.” He smiled. “Anyway, you were right. I’m going to continue to treat Henry, and I’m going to do it my own way.” 

“And if Regina says no?”

“She may find herself in a custody battle over Henry someday. And you know how the court determines who is a fit parent? They consult an expert. Particularly one who has treated the child.”

“Well, good luck with that,” Effie smiled, and then, to his surprise, she gave him a hug. “Take care of him, Marco,” she added with a grin. “You don’t want to lose your conscience.” And then she hurried back to Mr Gold.


	6. The Shepherd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David Nolan's false memories haven't set in yet but they're about to, with help of a certain windmill in Mr Gold's shop. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, Elphaba discovers that the recently deceased Prince James has a twin...

“Well,” muttered Effie, putting her hands on her hips. “I can’t put it off any longer. It’s got to be done.”

No, she wasn’t talking about some score to settle with Regina or deal to make with Mr Gold. Effie was, in fact, talking about her front garden. It was collecting weeds in a clump, growing in a tangled mass like those briar rose hedges that had once grown around Sleeping Beauty’s castle, according to the stories, anyway. Effie wasn’t sure she believed them. After all, when she had been the “Wicked” Witch of the West, there had been all sorts of rumours circulating about her. Some said that she had an extra eye; others said that she could shed her skin like a snake; and then, of course, there was the one that water could melt her. 

“Hah,” Effie muttered, typing a green apron around her before getting down on her knees with a trowel. “People are so empty headed, they’ll believe anything.”

“I didn’t think you gardened, Elphie,” said a familiar voice.

She looked up and grinned. “Just a spot of tidying up; which, incidentally, is what your shop front could do with, Rum; it’s looking more and more cluttered by the day.”

“Touché,” he replied, with a grin. 

“So,” Effie added, tugging at a particularly stubborn weed, “have you been invited to this “Welcome Home” party for David Nolan?”

“His wife did drop an invitation at my door, yes,” Mr Gold replied.

“Are you going?”

He wrinkled his nose. “I hadn’t planned on it.”

“You’d better.” With a great effort that sent her sprawling onto her back, Effie finally managed to tug the weed free of the earth. 

“Need a hand?” Mr Gold asked. She nodded and he helped her up. “Enlighten me, dearie, why had I better turn up?”

“Because I’m not turning up on my own,” she replied, brushing stray blades of grass from her trousers.

“You could always go with the cricket.”

Simply because she couldn’t think of how else to respond, Effie swatted at him with the weed she was holding. Smatterings of earth showered his clothing. “Elphaba!” he protested, brushing himself down.

“Serves you right for being so green-eyed,” she replied.

“If this doesn’t come out, you’re paying for it,” he told her.

“The cheque’s in the post,” she responded, tossing down the weed and folding her arms. “So, are you coming?”

“At the risk of getting filthy again,” Mr Gold replied, straightening his jacket, “very well then.”

“I’ll see you at eight, then,” she replied. 

Mr Gold turned to leave and Effie was about to get back to her gardening when he hesitated and then said “Elphie?”

“Yeah?”

He grinned. “You’ve got mud on your face.”

“Have I?” Effie rubbed her face with both hands and looked at them. Nothing had come off. “Where?”

“There.” He wiped a smear of mud down her cheek. “Just a smudge.”

“Smooth,” she commented with a smile. “I guess it’s true what they say in Neverland; some people just never grow up.”

“Well, I hope you get yourself cleaned up before tonight,” Mr Gold replied, stepping away from her, paranoid she might throw the trowel at him. 

“You’re evil,” she told him, but it was in a teasing tone. “I’ll see you later.”

“I look forward to it,” he replied before striding away again. 

Effie went back to digging up the weeds. When she’d finally managed to make the garden look more presentable, she straightened up, wincing as her back muscles protested from being hunched over too long and wiped her hands on her apron. 

“Hey,” said a cheerful voice and she looked up to Mary Margaret grinning at her.

“Hi,” Effie replied, putting down the trowel.

“You know you’ve got mud on your face, right?” Mary Margaret asked. 

Effie giggled. “Courtesy of Mr Gold, I think you’ll find.” She paused, still wiping her hands on her apron. “You ok, Mary Margaret? You look a bit...distracted.”

“Oh, it’s just...” Mary Margaret sighed. “This whole David Nolan thing...I don’t know...Effie, have you ever had...a certain fondness for someone you know you could never have, not really?”

Effie sighed. “Oh, yes, Mary Margaret. I know all about that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Effie removed her apron. “Not a lot of people know this about me; but, um, when I was...somewhat younger than I am now, I fell in love with...with the best guy I’ve ever met in my entire life. But, um, he was...already with someone else so his loyalties would always be divided, and, um, well...he was later...killed...in an accident, car accident,” she added, knowing that Mary Margaret wouldn’t believe the truth.

“Oh!” Mary Margaret covered her mouth with her hands. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

Effie shrugged, even thought it was such a painful subject. “Story of my life. I wasn’t born for love. But, hey,” she added, “that doesn’t mean that you’re not.”

Mary Margaret sighed. “Well, I’m not going to his party tonight. And I quit volunteering at the hospital.”

“Is that because of your not-so-great date with Dr Whale?” asked Effie. “Because running away’s not the answer...”

“No, it’s because of him; David. He’s married. If Kathryn were more...well, if she were less nice, it might be easier.”

Effie nodded. She could understand that. Sarima had been sort of the same. “Well, that’s reasonable,” she said. “Look, if you need someone to talk to, you know where to find me.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Effie.”

***

Effie looked up as Rumplestiltskin came into the room. “Pack your bags, dearie, we’re going on a journey.”

“You pack your bags,” she replied. “I’m busy. Anyway, what do you mean “we’re going on a journey?” Where, exactly?”

“To a little farm in the country.”

“To help some Animals? That’s not like you.”

“Not for Animals; for Prince James’ twin brother.”

Elphaba stared at him. “The Prince has a twin brother?”

“Yup! Did I not mention that?”

“You hardly tell me anything these days,” she reminded him. “So, wait, why do we need to find him?”

“Because Prince James himself has met with, ahem, an unfortunate accident.”

“I said he wasn’t up to slaying dragons! Wait, so you want his brother to do it?”

“Not me; King George.”

“Uh-huh, and what’s he done in return?”

“Confirmed the whereabouts of a certain fairy godmother so we can get her wand.”

“There’s that “we” again.”

He frowned. “I thought you were on my side.”

“I am, Rum, trust me; any other time I’d help but as I just said, I’m busy.”

“Doing what, exactly?”

“Trying to get Chistery to fly,” she replied. “Anyway, I don’t see why you need me there for this.”

“I don’t “need” you there, Elphaba,” he replied. “I want you there.”

“Busy,” she insisted. 

“Fine.” 

“Rum?” Elphaba said as he turned to go. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“When do I ever?” he asked, and then he vanished without even waiting for her to reply. 

“So,” mused Elphaba, opening the Grimmerie. “Prince James has a twin? Well, let’s hope he’s a damn sight better at dragon slaying than his brother!”

***

The party was an odd gathering, Effie thought; a lot of people were standing around, unsure if they even knew this David Nolan at all. Regina loved to play with the curse like that. I hope she remembers that all magic comes with a price and one day she’ll have to pay it, Effie thought as she was approached by Kathryn and David.

“This is Effie,” said Kathryn, by way of introduction. “She works at the animal shelter.”

“Hi,” smiled Effie, shaking David’s proffered hand. “Good to see you back on your feet.”

“Effie? Remind me, is that short for something?” David asked.

“Probably,” Effie laughed. “But my parents never told me what.”

“Well, it’s nice to see you again,” David said before Kathryn led him to talk to someone else.

“Ditto,” she murmured, folding her arms as Mr Gold came up to her. “Kind of sad, really,” she said to him. “I mean he’s slain dragons and whatnot before with no fear and now being here with no memories of anything, he looks almost frightened.”

“Yep,” agreed the former Dark One, leaning on his cane. “Regina’s left him free to be anything she wants him to be. We’re just her clay puppets to mould.”

“Speaking of which,” Effie muttered, nodding at Regina, who was standing in a corner, watching Kathryn and David. “She’s like a vulture, isn’t she?”

“Blame her mother,” muttered Mr Gold. “If she hadn’t broken Regina’s heart in the first place, she wouldn’t have turned out like this.”

Effie had to agree with him. “By the way,” she muttered to him. “Have you thought that it might be time to hide you-know-what? Now that everything’s beginning to change in Storybrooke, I mean?”

“That’s not actually a bad idea, Elphie,” he agreed.

“No? Wow. I must be losing my touch,” she teased and they both laughed. 

***

“So, how did it go?” asked Elphaba, looking up as her best friend walked back into the room.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” he replied, nodding at her fingers. “What the hell have you been doing to yourself?”

Elphaba looked down at her bandaged fingers. “Well, let’s just say I was never great with a needle and thread and leave it at that. They look worse than they are,” she added, unravelling the bandages and showing him that the cuts had already healed. 

Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes. “Why?”

“I was stitching wings to Chistery’s back.”

“And they call me the Dark One,” he muttered.

“It was the only way. Anyway, you didn’t answer my question.”

“It was fairly easy,” he replied, leaning against the table. “Once I told him that his mother would want for nothing once he was a hero, well, he agreed to take his brother’s place.”

“Will her survive?” asked Elphaba, wearily.

“Against the dragon?” Rumplestiltskin snapped his fingers. “Piece of cake, dearie! He’s stronger than he looks; smarter too.”

“He should do just fine, then,” sighed Elphaba, tossing the bandages on the fire. “I guess you didn’t need me there after all.”

He scowled. “I wanted you there. I got to thinking about...”

He broke off and hunched into himself, one hand over his eyes. “Rum?” Elphaba walked up to him. “Rum, are you...?”

“I’m fine,” he muttered. “I’m fine.”

Elphaba gave him a hug. “Sorry.”

“You’re coming with me next time,” he told her. 

“It’s a deal,” she sighed. 

***

“Why do people insist on having things like this in their garden?” asked Elphaba, spinning the blades of the wooden windmill. “It looks like something Glinda would put in her garden.”

It was the day after the party and she was waiting for her best friend to hurry up and finish his work so they could go and have some dinner. “Why is it that you’re allowed to insult the Faerie Queen and I’m not, remind me?” Mr Gold asked. 

“That wasn’t an insult. Beside, Glinda’s my friend; and I think if you tried, you’d like her.”

He scowled. “I’d rather have my arm bitten off by a crocodile, dearie.”

“That can be arranged,” she teased. “Come on, hurry up; I’m hungry. Lack of food makes me hungry, you know.”

“Keep your hair on, Elphie; I’ve a lot to do.”

The shop door opened and they both looked up to see David Nolan walk into the shop.

“Hi,” Effie smiled at him. 

“Hey,” he said, looking relieved to see someone he recognised. 

“Can I help with something?” Mr Gold asked.

“Yeah,” David replied, holding up a map. “I’m looking for the Toll Bridge. The Mayor said there was a fork in the road by your shop, but-”

Mr. Gold frowned. “It seems Miss Mills has lead you astray.”

“Yeah,” David laughed. “Yeah you would think the Mayor would know her own town.”

“One would think,” Mr Gold agreed. “Out of the door, turn right, two blocks you’ll find a trail. Can’t miss it.”

“Thank you,” David replied and he was about to turn and leave when he spotted the windmill beside Effie. 

“See something you like?” asked Mr Gold.

“Where did you get that?” asked David, pointing at the windmill.

“That old thing? That’s been gathering dust for…forever.”

David span the windmill blades. “Pretty gaudy, isn’t it?” Effie grinned.

“I think… this belonged to me,” David said, hesitantly. 

“Really?” asked Mr Gold. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” David said. “I remember.”

Effie and Mr Gold exchanged a look. “You...remember?” Effie repeated.

“Yes. I remember we used to have this on our front lawn.”

Oh no, thought Effie. His false memories had set in. This could not be good for a certain princess waiting for him at the Toll Bridge...


	7. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba Thropp meets and finds a worthy ally in the Queen's new Huntsman. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke, Mr Gold must bury the Dark One's dagger and Effie learns that Sheriff Graham is starting to remember his past life...

It was late at night and it was windy. Effie turned up the collar of her jacket and folded her arms as she made her way home after a long day at work. It had been a slow morning and an even slower afternoon and now all she wanted to do was flop down on her sofa and go to sleep. She didn’t even have much in the way of dinner in the fridge. “Leftover quiche again,” she sighed, turning a corner. “Lovely!”

Passing by Granny’s, she was surprised to see Sheriff Graham stumbling towards her. Was he drunk? He had a peculiar look on his face. She stopped. “Graham?” 

“I saw...” He shook his head. “Effie, I think I’m losing my mind.”

She frowned. “Why? What did you see?” Graham glanced over his shoulder. Effie followed his gaze. Behind him, Emma was making her way away from them. “Emma?”

“There was a wolf...” Graham faltered, rubbing his forehead. 

“A wolf? In Storybrooke? Graham, how much have you had tonight?”

“I saw it!” He looked at her, desperately. “I know I did!”

“Graham,” said Effie, carefully, “I think you maybe need to go home, get some sleep and, well, things might look different in the morning.”

Graham fixed her with a look. “You think I’m crazy?”

“No,” Effie replied, truthfully. “If you say you saw a wolf, then you saw a wolf. But look. It’s clearly gone now. In the morning you can check it out properly.” Graham threw one last glance in Emma’s direction. “I mean, things look different at night,” Effie added. “In the morning you’ll be able to see them more clearly for what they are. Seriously, I think you should go home and get some rest, Graham.”

Graham look unconvinced but he nodded, firmly. “Yeah. Yeah, maybe you’re right. Thanks, Effie.”

Effie watched him stumble off home and then, when he was out of sight, she turned and hurried off in the direction of the pink house that belonged to Mr Gold. 

“Rum!” she called, pounding on the front door. “Oh, come on, open up! I’m serious!”

“I would if you’d move,” said a voice behind her. 

Effie jumped and whipped around to see her best friend standing calmly behind her. “Oh, you’re there.”

“Yeah. You just shot straight past me,” he replied, stepping up to the porch. 

“Sorry.”

“It’s ok.” He unlocked the front door. “So, what’s this dire emergency you felt the need to batter my door down for?”

“You exaggerate a lot, you know that, Rum?” Effie replied, rolling her eyes. “It’s Graham...Sheriff...the Huntsman. Does he even have a name back home?”

“No idea, dearie,” he replied. “What about him?”

“I think he’s beginning to remember his past,” Effie said. “And I’m prepared to swear that Emma’s probably something to do with it.”

“I don’t doubt that, deaire,” Mr Gold agreed. “Cup of tea?”

“Please,” said Effie, removing her jacket. “He said something about a wolf; I think he means that one he always used to run with; with different coloured eyes, you remember?”

“I do indeed,” Mr Gold replied. “Not that I hang around with animal lovers much, mind.”

“You hang around with me,” Effie pointed out, pulling the milk out of the fridge. 

“Exactly. One’s enough, thank you very much.”

“Careful, Rum, I am holding a carton of milk here, you know.”

He smirked. “Very well, I apologise.”

“Good.” Effie handed him the milk and leaned against the bar. “So, what are we going to do?”

“About what?”

“About this.”

“Nothing. The more people who remember their past, the better; it means we’re getting closer to breaking the curse.”

“But if Regina finds out the Huntsman remembers, she’ll kill him. She has his heart.”

Mr Gold chuckled. “They might have a relationship, Effie, but I doubt they’re in love.”

“No, I mean she literally has his heart. She tore it out of his chest and put it in a box.” She realised that the look on her best friend’s face was one of surprise. “You didn’t know, did you?”

***

It was a stormy day. “Blow winds and crack your cheeks indeed,” muttered Elphaba, remembering something she had read in a book once as she tugged her hat down on her head, her hair whipping around her and her cloak rippling. Muttering old childish poems and nonsensical verse was helping her battle her way through the storm. “Rage, rage against the dying of the light...”

A sicken whip and thud sound caused her to start and look around. That had been the sound of someone shooting an arrow and it had met its mark. She hurried in the direction of the sound. Her heart lurched at the sight of the beautiful young deer with an arrow in its heart. She sank to her knees. The poor thing gazed up at her with dull, dead eyes. Elphaba put a hand over her mouth to stop the tears. How could people be so cruel? Her only comfort was that it was not an Animal but an animal. 

Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned in time to see a man wearing a cloak that showed him to be one of the Queen’s men, even though she didn’t recognise him. He held a bow in his hand. 

“How could you?” Elphaba spat. “A poor defenceless animal – how could you-!”

She broke off. The man was crying. She watched as he walked past her and bent beside the deer. “You have died so that I may live. Forgive me. Your sacrifice is honourable. I thank you.” He pulled the arrow from the creatures heart and turned to her. “You think I like doing this? I do it because I have no choice!”

Elphaba scoffed. “Everyone has a choice!”

“Not when the Evil Queen’s got your heart in a box, you don’t!” The man sprang to his feet. “She wants you too, you know; dead, like that deer!”

“Tell me about it!” Elphaba got to her feet, turning her back on the dead deer. “Though it is refreshing to meet someone who doesn’t shy away from my green skin.”

The Huntsman shrugged. “I’ve see you flying around before; nothing surprises me.”

“Did she send you to kill me?”

“No.”

“She might do one day. What will you do then?”

He shrugged. “Do I have a choice? She has my heart. All she needs to do is squeeze.”

Elphaba looked at him. “Why did you cry when you shot the deer?”

He looked at his feet. “No one deserves death; animal or human. I was raised by wolves. They kill to survive; not for spit or revenge or anger or anything like that. Not for human emotions.”

Elphaba nodded. She understood. “Do you check if they are Animals or animals?”

“A friend does that for me.”

“You know who my best friend is?”

“The Dark One?”

“He has more power than Regina. Maybe together we can get your heart back.”

The Huntsman sighed. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that, Miss Thropp.”

***

“Whereabouts, then?” asked Effie, looking around the forest of Storybrooke. She was holding a map of the area and studying it. Behind her, Mr Gold was holding the dagger wrapped in a cloth. Both he and Effie were wearing aprons, boots and carrying shovels. “Is this far enough in, do you think?”

Mr Gold looked around the area and nodded. “Yes, I think it’ll be safe here. Just here, by this tree.”

Effie folded up the map and put it in the pocket of the apron. Then, together, they began to dig. “What are you going to do with it when we get magic back?” asked Effie. “Are you going to use it; preferably on Regina?”

Mr Gold chuckled. “You used to berate me for such things, Elphie.”

“Once upon a time,” she agreed, “but now, well, after all we’ve suffered through...because...of...her!” 

She gave the shovel a hard yank and as it brought up a tough, decaying tree root with the earth, she slipped and landed on her back. Mr Gold laughed, he couldn’t help it. “I give up!” Effie groaned. “I’m not cut out for gardening, Rum!”

“Here.” With a grin he held out a hand and helped her to her feet. “Were you always this clumsy, Elphie?”

“Oh, hush up,” she grinned, brushing dead leaves and moss from her back and legs. “I’m serious; what is going to happen to this thing, Rum?”

He took a deep breath and went back to digging. “I want Bae to have it.”

“To use it on you?” Effie exclaimed, panic gripping her.

“I hope not, although I wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to do that.” Mr Gold shook his head. “He should be the one to hold onto it; I know that now.”

“You wouldn’t let him when he was younger,” Effie said, softly. “You wouldn’t even let me near it.”

“That was before I lost him, Elphie.”

Effie put her hand on his shoulder, causing him to stop digging and look up at her. “We’ll find him, Rum. When this curse is broken, we’ll go out and look for him; together.”

He smiled. “Are you going to help me bury this or not, Elphie?”

“I’m going to have to,” she teased. “You’re a very slow digger.”

When they had finally laid it to rest, as Effie put it, marking the place on the map just in case of emergencies, they both picked up their shovels and made their way out of the forest. Just as they were rustling their way through the undergrowth, they heard the sound of running footsteps. Emerging, they saw it was...

“Graham?” said Effie, automatically forgetting that he was probably on duty. 

“Good morning, Sheriff,” said Mr Gold, pleasantly. “Sorry if we startled you.”

“Right,” stammered Graham. “Sorry, I… I thought you were a wolf.”

Mr. Gold glanced at Effie. “Did I forget to shave?”

“Now that you mention it,” she laughed. 

“What are you doing out here so early?” Graham asked them.

“A spot of gardening,” Mr Gold replied, casually. “Yourself?”

“I was looking for, um…”

“A wolf. Yeah, I think I’m beginning to catch on. You know, to the best of my knowledge, Sheriff, there are no wolves in Storybrooke. Not the literal kind, anyway. Why are you looking?”

“You’ll think I’m crazy,” said Graham, with a glance at Effie.

“Try me,” Mr Gold replied.

“I saw one in my dreams, and then I saw one for real. Just a few hours ago. Did you, uh… did either of you see anything unusual out there?”

“Not a wolf,” replied Effie, shrugging.

“I’m afraid not,” Mr Gold confirmed. “I do wish I could be more helpful. You know, Sheriff, they say that dreams… dreams are memories. Memories of another life.”

“And what do you believe?” asked Graham.

“I never rule out anything,” Mr Gold replied. “Good luck, Sheriff. I do hope you find what you’re looking for.”

He walked off and then realised that Effie wasn’t with him. She stood in front of Graham. “You don’t need to be scared, Graham,” she told him. “You’re a hunter. You don’t get scared.”

He swallowed. “You’re saying you believe me?”

“Like Mr Gold says, never rule out anything,” she replied, carrying the shovel over her shoulder like the dwarves carried their pickaxes. “Good luck.”

***

Elphaba saw the Huntsman only once after their first meeting in the Enchanted Forest. This time he was accompanied by a wolf with different coloured eyes. She was surprised. Was this the friend he had had mentioned before?

“Hello,” he said, looking dull. 

“Is this your friend?” she asked.

The Huntsman nodded. “Not a pet as most people would say.”

Elphaba held out a hand to see if the wolf would come. It trotted forwards at once and she smoothed the fur on top of his head. “He’s beautiful,” she said.

“He likes you,” the Huntsman commented. 

“What is it?” Elphaba asked, looking up at him. “What’s she making you do now?”

“You were right,” he said. “She wants me to kill you.”

“Then, why don’t you?” Elphaba glanced around the forest. “We’re all alone here. You could kill me right now.”

“Maybe I don’t want to.” The Huntsman met her gaze. “I’ve met the Dark One and I don’t trust him one bit, but I trust you. You can battle against Regina.”

“But if you don’t kill me, Regina will kill you?” Elphaba guessed. 

“Yes.”

Elphaba reached into her cloak and pulled out a tiny bottle of something. The label read “Green Elixer” and it was green, as green as her skin. “Then, you need this.” She handed him the bottle, removed her hat and created a magical copy of it, which she also handed to him. “And this.”

The Huntsman looked down at the bottle. “I don’t understand.”

“Tell her you melted me with water, and there’s the proof of it. Tell her that was all that was left of me. Tell her I started screaming “Oh, what a world!” or something daft like that. Anything to make it convincing. I’ll go into hiding where she won’t find me.”

The Huntsman looked up at her. “You mean you’ll help me by pretending to be dead?”

“Yes. And even if she discovers I’m alive, you just have to tell her that you threw the water over me and I melted and that you have no idea how I’m alive again; I’ll cover for you, tell her I have powers that even she can’t imagine.”

The Huntsman grinned at her. “I said you were trustworthy.”

“But why?” Elphaba asked. “Surely you’ve heard the rumours about me? I’m sure Regina likes to enforce them on her subjects. Why would you trust me?”

He shrugged. “You care about animals.”

***

“Help! Someone help me!”

Effie looked around as Emma came hurtling towards her from the police station. She looked frantic and panicked. “Emma, what is it?”

“You have to come! We have to call the hospital! It’s Graham!”

“Graham?” Effie felt panic seize her. “What’s happened?”

“I don’t know; he just keeled over!”

Effie followed her hastily back to the station. Emma hadn’t been lying. Graham was lying on the floor. He had no visible marks or signs of poisoning on his body. Effie crouched down beside him and felt his pulse. She could find none. She looked at Emma. “Call Dr Whale! Quickly!”

Effie had a horrible feeling that she knew what had happened and Dr Whale’s conclusion at the hospital confirmed what she was feeling. “Heart attack,” he said, shaking his head. 

“But one minute he was perfectly fine,” Emma stammered, shaking his head. 

“He had a weak heart,” Dr Whale insisted. “Seems he suddenly took a turn for the worst.”

Heart attack, my foot, thought Effie. Weak heart, yeah right. The Huntsman had had one of the strongest hearts to ever beat and that was why Regina had killed him. It all felt like a tragic chess game. Regina’s side had just knocked down one of their knights. Now, thought Effie, as she made her way to break the news to her best friend, it’s our turn to take one of her pieces. Check and mate, Regina.


	8. Desperate Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr Gold and Effie plan a little bit of fire-setting in order to help Emma become Sheriff of Storybrooke whilst back in the Enchanted Forest, Rumplestiltskin's origins as the Dark One are revealed and Elphaba Thropp finds herself his mentor...

“Elphie? You’ve hardly touched your dinner?”

“Hm?” Elphaba looked up at Glinda. “Sorry, I’m just not very hungry, is all.”

“Is that all?” Glinda tilted her pretty head on one side. “Don’t tell me, you’ve got that feeling that something’s wrong again, right?”

“More a feeling of restlessness,” Elphaba replied, pushing her plate of cooked vegetables away from her. She was a stout vegetarian and refused to eat anything that may have come from an Animal. “This new Ogre War’s not helping. I remember the last one. My friend Rumplestiltskin got seriously injured in that; it was brutal.”

“At least he survived,” Glinda pointed out, daintily popping a strawberry into her mouth. 

“Yeah, but at what cost? Everyone called him the town coward because he returned home. And now they’re even recruiting children.” That was a nasty thought; she didn’t like to think of young Baelfire in an Ogre War. She got to her feet. “I think I’ll go pay him a visit. You coming? He’s not met you yet?”

Glinda shook her head. “I’ve got a ton of things to do.”

“You mean buy?”

“Oh, Elphie, if we’re going to the Emerald City, I shall need a whole new wardrobe!”

Elphaba rolled her eyes. “Right, I’ll see you when I get back.”

***

“Why are we doing this again?” asked Effie.

It was two weeks following Sheriff Graham’s death and she and Mr Gold were sitting in the back room of the shop, painting lanolin onto cloth. 

“You’ll see,” he replied.

She eyed him, knowingly. “You’re up to something, aren’t you?”

He grinned at her. “Maybe. When have you ever known me not to be?”

“This stuff smells disgusting.” Effie took a deep breath. “No, sorry, no good; I’ve got to take a breather.”

“Lightweight,” Mr Gold said as she got to her feet. 

“I could tip that stuff all over you, you know,” she warned him. “I don’t need magic for that.”

“Fine, I apologise.”

With a smile, Effie left and went into the front of the shop to take in some fresh air. “How do you stand it?” she called. 

“It’s not the first time I’ve ever used it; you get used to it!” he called back. 

The shop door opened and Emma walked into the room. “Gold! In here?” she called.

“Well, it is my shop,” he muttered.

Effie laughed. “Hey,” said Emma, walking up to her. 

“Hey, Emma,” Effie greeted her. “He’s out back.” She jerked her head in the direction of the back room. 

Emma went through. “Whoa!” she gasped. “What is that?”

“Oh, this is lanolin,” replied Mr Gold, “used for waterproofing.”

“It smells like livestock,” Emma commented. 

“Hence why I’m out here!” Effie called. “I couldn’t take it!”

“Well, it is the reason why sheep’s wool repels water,” Mr Gold reminded her. 

“It stinks,” Emma groaned. “Um, if there was a reason you called the Sheriff’s Department… If you want to talk about that quickly...”

“Yes.”

“Or outside…” Emma quickly hurried back into the shop front. 

“Apparently you get used to it,” Effie told her. 

Mr Gold quickly joined them out front. “I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences, really. The Sheriff was a good man. You’re still wearing the Deputy’s badge. Well, he’s been gone two weeks, now, and I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You’ll have to wear the real badge.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Emma shrugged. “I’m just not in a hurry. So, um, thank you for the kind words.

She turned to leave when Mr. Gold’s words stopped her. “I have his things.”

“What?” Emma turned back.

“Really?” asked Effie. 

Mr. Gold picked up a box on the counter. “The Sheriff. He rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake.”

“I don’t need anything,” Emma insisted.

“As you wish. Well, give them to Mayor Mills. Seems like she was the closest thing he had to family.”

“I’m not sure about that,” Emma replied, folding his arms.

“No love lost there, I see,” Mr Gold muttered. “Look, I feel that all of this stuff is headed for the trash bin – you really should take something. Look – his jacket.”

“No.”

“You should take something,” Effie put in. “I mean, he didn’t have much but it’s sad to see it all get thrown away.”

“I really don’t think...”

“Well, look.” Mr Gold held up a pair of walkie-talkies. “Your boy might like these, don’t you think? You could play together.”

"I don’t-"

“No, please.” Mr Gold pressed them into her hands. “They… They grow up so fast.”

“Thanks,” Emma said.

“You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know? That’s the thing about children – before you know it, you lose them.”

“She’s not great at letting people in, is she?” Effie mused after Emma had left. 

“Well, we all know someone like that, don’t we?” Mr Gold smiled at her. “Now are you going to help me or not?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No.”

“Well then, back into the sheep dip den, then.”

***

Elphaba knocked on the door of the small cottage. There was a pause and then a voice from within called “Hold on, I’m coming!”

He sounded panicked. “Rum?” Elphaba called. “It’s me! Are you alright?”

She heard him give a sigh of relief and then the door opened. He gave her a tired smile and pulled her into a one armed hug. “Am I glad to see you, Elphie!”

“What’s up?” she asked, alarmed. 

“They lowered the age again,” he replied, letting go of her. “Come on in.”

“What? But they can’t! Bae’s birthday’s in three days!”

“I know!”

Elphaba sank into a stool. “This isn’t right, Rum. They can’t use children as soldiers!”

“Well, they are,” he replied, grimly, sitting down beside her. “Isn’t there anything you can do? You’ve got magic.”

“I keep telling you, Rum, I’m not that powerful.” Elphaba shook her head. “I’m meeting with the Wizard tomorrow; maybe he can do something.”

“You’re meeting with the Wizard tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I got a letter. He heard about my...talents and wants to meet with me. Look.” She reached into her pocket, unfolded the letter and showed him. 

Rumplestiltskin smiled at her. “Congratulations, Elphie. I knew you’d go far.”

“He has to be able to do something,” Elphaba said, “otherwise...”

There was a pattering of feet and Baelfire came into the room. “Auntie Elphie!” he cried, running up to her.

“Hello, Bae. Your dad told me about your friend; come here.” She held out her arms and Baelfire hugged her. “Auntie Elphie, can't you do anything?”

"I'll try. But, hey, you know that your father will never let anything happen to you, don't you?”

“Yeah, I know.” He sounded more hopeful. “Are you staying for dinner?”

“If it's alright with your father.”

Rumplestiltskin smiled. "You know it is, Elphie. Are you going to tell him?”

“Tell me what?” asked Baelfire.

Effie smiled. “My friend Glinda and I have been invited to the Emerald City.”

“To meet the Wizard?”

“Yep!”

“That’s great!” Baelfire glanced at his father. “Maybe he can do something!”

“I’m going to ask him,” Elphaba vowed. “Don’t worry, Bae, it’ll be alright.”

***

Effie sighed, perching herself on the counter. “I don’t care what you say, Rum; that is the last time I go near that stuff!”

“Fine, but if your roof starts leaking on a rainy day, don’t come crying to me,” he replied. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she told him. He had now told her what he had planned; it was a good plan but risky and Effie was praying that nothing would go wrong. 

“Makes two of us, dearie,” he replied as the shop door opened. 

Effie saw who it was and groaned inwardly. “Hello, Madame Mayor.”

“Regina,” said Mr Gold, cordially. Regina flipped the sign on the shop door to “Closed.” “Shall I move some things? Make a bit of space for your rage?”

“You found that loophole in the town charter,” Regina snapped at him. 

“Legal documents – contracts, if you like. Always been a fascination of mine.”

Regina scowled at Effie. “I’d appreciate it, Miss Tremaine, if you’d leave us in private for a minute, please.”

“Fine,” Effie replied, hopping off the counter. 

“And I’d appreciate it if you stayed,” Mr Gold countered. 

“Well, which is it?” Effie asked. “I can’t do both, can I?”

Regina sighed. “You love to trifle with technicalities, don’t you?” she said to Mr Gold.

“I like small weapons, you see. The needle, the pen, the fine point of a deal. Subtlety – not your style, I know.”

“You’re a bastard.”

Effie glanced at her. “For what? For doing something you don’t like?” She folded her arms. “I think you’d better start getting used to that, Madame Mayor.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, with Emma Swan as our new Sheriff; and I doubt she’ll be as quick to do as you command like Sheriff Graham was-!”

“Don’t you talk about him!” Regina snapped. “You know nothing.”

“What is there to know?” Mr Gold countered. “He died.”

“Are you really going up against me?”

“Not directly. We are, after all, both invested in the common good. We’re just picking different sides.”

“Well, I think you picked a really slow horse this time,” Regina replied, somewhat smugly. “It’s not like you to back a loser.”

“She hasn’t lost yet.” Effie put in. 

Regina scowled. “She will.”

“Never underestimate someone who’s acting for their child,” Mr Gold said.

Regina stiffened. “He’s not her child. Not legally.”

“Oh, now who’s trifling with technicalities?”

Effie grinned at him as Regina left. “If there’s one thing I love, it’s watching you get the better of her.”

“Just a pity it doesn’t happen more often,” he commented. 

“Well, when it does happen, you do a great job of it.”

“Thanks, Elphie.”

“So, come on, are we going to do this or what?” she asked, stretching her arms.

“We?” He raised an amused eyebrow. “You’re joining me?”

“Like I’m going to let you start a fire on your own!”

***

Something was wrong. Elphaba sensed it, even as she flew over the Emerald City. And it wasn’t just the Munchkinlanders and EC Citzens shouting out “Look at her! She’s wicked! Get her!” as she flew that made her feel this. No, something was wrong...with Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire. 

Her heart lurched, remembering that this was the day of Baelfire’s birthday. Had the soldiers come for him? Or had they escaped in time? Pressing herself flat on her broom, she swept off in the direction of their village. 

What she saw when she got there shocked her to the core. The lifeless bodies of all the soldiers who had been commissioned to conscript the children for war. She skidded her broom to a halt, stumbling over her own feet a little and ran over to the one they called Hordor. She touched his skin. No pulse and blood gushed copiously from a wound in his side. Who or what could have done this?

“You can’t do anything for him, Elphie!”

She froze. That voice...it sounded like Rumplestiltskin and yet at the same time, it didn’t. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck prick up as she turned to face him. She let out a shriek at the sight of him. “Rum, what the hell-?”

“I know,” Rumplestiltskin mused, looking down at himself. “I'm starting to look like you, aren't I, dearie?”

If Elphaba could blanche, she would have done at that point. She looked around. “Where’s Bae? Bae!”

The door to the cottage opened and Baelfire hurtled out and launched himself at her for a hug. “Auntie Elphie, help! You’ve got to do something!”

“What’s happened?” she asked, looking up at Rumplestiltskin. “How did you-?” Her eyes fell on the dagger at his belt. “Oh, sweet Oz, Rum! No! The Dark One’s Curse? You killed the Dark One?”

“I’m not as weak as people think, dearie,” he said. 

Elphaba patted Baelfire’s back. “What the hell were you thinking?” she exclaimed. 

“I was thinking of my son!”

Now she understood. Of course. He had done it for Baelfire. Why else would he do such a thing? “Well,” she said, catching her breath, trying to calm down. “Well done. You’ve freed the children, nearly. Good. I’ll help you. But then we need to find some way of breaking the curse.”

“Oh, I don’t think so, dearie.” Rumplestiltskin shook his head. “I need my powers; to protect what belongs to me.”

“You have to help him,” Baelfire begged. 

“I can’t.” Elphaba looked at him. “I’m sorry, Bae. Much as I would love to kill your father right now, I’d never be able to bring myself too. That’s the only thing that can break this curse.”

“But...” Baelfire looked frightened as he glanced at his father. “Magic...it’s dangerous...”

“Only when you don’t know how to control it, Bae,” she replied, soothingly. 

“Then teach me,” Rumplestiltskin said, walking up to her. “You know all about this, Elphaba; show me.”

She took a step backwards, Baelfire still clinging to her. “I am not getting involved with this, Rum! That Dark Curse will consume you until...until you stop being the man I know you are inside! You are not like this, Rum! You’re a good man!”

“Please, Auntie Elphie,” Baelfire begged, looking up at her. “Please.”

Could those eyes get any bigger? The poor boy was frightened; his father was the Dark One and, much as Elphaba wanted to strangle him at that point, she knew she never would. Maybe if she taught him how to use magic properly, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Ok.” She whispered, softly. “Ok, Bae. I’ll do it. For both of you.”

***

It was the day following the election and the town was buzzing. First Emma had heroically saved Regina in a fire, courtesy of Mr Gold and Effie Tremaine, although Emma only blamed Mr God for it; and then she had openly stood up to him and exposed his as a fire starter during the election, which had earned the respect of the town and Regina had been reluctantly forced to make her the Sheriff after all. 

“Good to have a woman in charge,” Effie decided. In Oz, the people lived under a matriarch where ruling Ozma was generally a woman, and Effie herself came from a long line of female Eminent Thropps. 

She caught up with her best friend as he crossed the road. “Hey,” she grinned. “Guess who’s got a job at the animal shelter?”

“I give up,” he replied. “But judging from the look on your face, it’s not Regina.”

She laughed. “Nope! It’s Prince Charming!”

“Well, well.” Mr Gold smiled. “Perhaps that way you can keep an eye on him.”

“Keep an eye on him?”

“Don’t let Regina get to him. She keeps trying to force him and his wife apart, after all.”

“Right,” Effie agreed. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“I left something at the station that I thought our new Sheriff could use,” he replied.

They went into the station to find Emma examining a jacket on the back of a chair. 

“The Sheriff’s jacket,” Mr Gold prompted. “I thought you might want it after all.”

“You do know I’m armed, right?” Emma said.

He smiled. “It’s all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I’m afraid saving old Regina’s arse from the fire just wasn’t going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me – and they did.”

Emma glanced at Effie. “No way. There’s no way you planned that.”

Effie grinned. “He’s smarter than he looks, Miss Swan.” Mr Gold shot her a look and she groaned, apologetically, rubbing her forehead. “Sorry, sorry, too many coffees today! I’m still hyped up!”

Mr. Gold turned his attention back to Emma. “Everyone’s afraid of Regina, but they’re more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way. “

“You knew I’d agree.”

“Oh, yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul.”

“Why did you do this?”

“We made a deal some time back, Miss Swan. We established that you owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling – owing someone. Now that you’re Sheriff, I’m sure we’ll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me. Congratulations.”

Effie didn’t dare ask what he had in mind. After all, she’d known him too long for that...


	9. True North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba and Rumplestiltskin discuss the curse and Regina's plan to kill Snow White, whilst in Storybrooke, Effie meets up with the ex-Good Witch of the North...

Effie hummed under her breath as she flipped through her personal organiser. It was her old university school song she was humming; a sentimental old tune that she probably would have joined her friends in singing on her graduation day, had she actually graduated from Shiz.

“Oh, hallowed halls and vine-draped walls, the proudliest sight there is. When grey and seer our hair hath turned, we shall still revere the lessons learned in our days at Dear Old Shiz; our days at Dear Old Shiz...”

She stopped on today’s page and frowned. That was weird. When had she done that? Well, if that was what the organiser told her, although it was probably worth double-checking anyway. 

“Chistery, don’t chew the newspaper,” she sighed, retrieving the thing from him and looking over the front page. “Even if it is written by the Magic Mirror Genie!” Regina was so droll, she thought, making him editor of the Mirror paper. She barely even looked at it these days; all it seemed to be doing was having some kind of dig at Emma. She tossed it into the bin and picked up her keys. “I’ll be back later,” she said to him, seizing her phone and then leaving the house. “Don’t chew it, ok?”

She called her best friend; he answered almost immediately. “Hello?” He sounded refreshed today, almost cheerful. 

“Hey, it’s me,” she said. “Look, I know I said “let’s meet up for a coffee tomorrow morning” yesterday, but I think I need to take a raincheck on that.”

“How come?”

“Because I have a hair appointment with Glinda that I do not remember making.”

“Oh, I see; you’re dumping me for the Faerie Queen, are you?”

“Don’t be so jealous!” she sighed. “Seriously, it’s getting boring!”

Me Gold laughed. “Well, when are you going to be done?”

“Um,” Effie glanced up at the clock tower. “I give it an hour, two, tops.”

“Alright, but don’t let her turn you into a clone of her or something, Elphie. Being blonde just wouldn’t suit you.”

“Trust me, Rum, that’s the last thing on my mind,” smiled Effie. “Look, I’ll call on you when I’m done and we can grab a coffee in Granny’s, ok?”

“Ok by me, dearie,” he replied, calmly. 

“Right, I’ll see you later, then.” Effie hung up before he could come back with some other snipe about Glinda. “I am allowed other friends besides you, Dark One,” she muttered, slipping her phone into her jacket pocket and heading off into the salon. 

Regina had really outdone herself finding a suitable job for Glinda the Good, who just loved to give makeovers to people. Here she was known as Rosetta Chenoweth, the top hair stylist in Storybrooke. She wasn’t particularly busy today, Effie noticed, but then she couldn’t think of anyone in Storybrooke who particularly needed to have their hair cut right now. “What can I do for you, Effie?” chirped the former Good Witch of the North. 

Effie felt a twinge in her heart; wishing that Glinda could remember who she really was. It only hit her now how much she missed her. “I think I made an appointment for today, only I can’t remember. Can you check your books, or whatever, please?”

“Sure,” Rosetta replied, flipping through the appointment book. “Oh, yeah, here it is. Would you like to take a chair?”

Suddenly Effie remembered why she had initially loathed Glinda back at Shiz. Over time, as their friendship had blossomed, Glinda had changed but now in Storybrooke she was almost exactly the way she used to be when Effie had first met her; with one exception, she treated her ex-friend in a cordial manner, unlike the way she had initially treated her back when Effie had still had green skin. Still, thought Effie, there was nothing to be done about that until the curse was lifted, so she did as she was bid. “Oh, my, you really have let this go, haven’t you, honey?” Rosetta commented, not meaning to sound flippant, but sounding it anyway in her eagerness to sort out whatever was wrong with Effie’s hair. “So, what are we doing with it today?”

“Just a trim, nothing daft,” Effie replied, and then she couldn’t help adding “I know what you’re like.”

Rosetta laughed and went to fetch her scissors. She began to hum as she set to work. Effie knew that tune. It was one that Glinda had sung to her a long time ago. 

“Popular, you’re gonna be popular...”

***

Elphaba could hear the screaming coming from inside the gingerbread house. She knew that it wasn’t the screaming of so many innocent children being cooked alive by the Blind Witch. That was the screaming of the Blind Witch herself. 

By the time she got to the house, however, it was too late. Not that Elphaba would have saved the Blind Witch from her fate, owing to the number of children she had devoured in her time, but even so, when the screaming stopped, the house seemed eerily calm. 

She looked around. The charms on the edible fancies in the house were weakening. Before her eyes, the sugary snacks were rotting and becoming mouldy. Flies began to buzz around the bones by the fire, the bones of the long-dead children. Elphaba winced and covered her mouth and nose as the place began to stink of rotting food and mould. 

“Talk about burning a witch,” she muttered, staring at the oven where she knew the Blind Witch to be locked up; or what remained of her, at any rate. Elphaba took one more look around the cottage until she saw what she was looking for, or rather, she didn’t see it.

Rumplestiltskin had been right. The leather satchel was gone. 

***

“Hi,” said Emma as she exited Mr Gold’s shop just as Effie was about to walk into it. 

“Hi,” replied Effie, with a frown. “What’s he done this time?”

She nodded at the shop and Emma laughed. “No, no, Mr Gold was just helping me find someone.”

“Ah! Right! Got it!” Effie grinned. “So he is good for some things, I guess?”

“I heard that!” came a voice from inside the shop. 

“Oops!” Effie giggled. “Got to go!”

“Yeah, me too,” Emma said. “Kind of in a hurry.”

“Well, I hope you find whoever it is you’re looking for,” Effie replied, pushing open the shop door. “Good luck.”

“Thanks. Bye.”

Effie walked into the shop. “Oh, good, you look like you,” Mr Gold said, drily. “I got myself geared up for a shock for nothing, it seems.”

Effie rolled her eyes. “You underestimate Glinda, Rum. She’s really not that bad.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it, dearie,” he replied. 

“So, um, what did Emma want? I mean, who was she looking for?”

“Hansel and Gretel’s father.”

“Will she find him?”

“I told her his name was Michael Tillman, that’s all she needs to know.”

Again, Effie rolled her eyes. “A “yes” would suffice.”

He grinned. “That would be too easy, Elphie.”

He held out a rectangular piece of card to her. Effie took it and glanced at it. “It’s blank.”

“I know,” Mr Gold replied. “But Emma didn’t know that when I read the name from it.”

“Clever,” she mused, handing the card back to him. 

“Just another way of getting under Regina’s skin, dearie,” he replied, placing it back in its box. “And helping our saviour to believe in the curse.”

“As I said, clever,” she replied. “Now, are we going for coffee or what?”

***

“I told you so, dearie,” was all Rumplestiltskin said when Elphaba told him. 

“Aren’t you in the least bit worried about Regina using it?” Elphaba asked. 

“Not really.” Rumplestiltskin replied, casually, pressing the tips of his fingers together. “I told you she has true love with Prince Charming. Once he finds her, he can break the spell and then, well, then we will have our way of breaking the curse.”

“But what if he can’t find her? What if Regina gets in the way?”

“Trust me, dearie ; that won’t be a problem. Prince Charming will have us to help him out.”

Elphaba breathed out. “Well, I’m glad to hear you say that!” She sank into the nearest chair. “Now I can relax!”

“Not for long, dearie,” he replied. “We still have some work to do.”

“Such as?”

“Such as preparing for this new land we’ll be dragged into once Regina realises her sleeping spell was broken.”

Elphaba groaned, theatrically. “A witch’s work is never done!”

“Neither is the Dark One’s, Elphie.” 

***

“God, I needed that!” sighed Effie, putting down her empty coffee cup. 

“What? The Faerie Queen acting so sickly sweet that you can’t handle it anymore?” Mr Gold teased. 

She scowled at him. “Regina’s heartless.”

“You already knew that,” he reminded her. 

“Yeah, but reverting Glinda back to the way she used to be before I became her friend?” Effie shook her head. “Heck, it’s bad enough that she’s taken Emma’s son away from her.”

“Not quite,” Mr Gold replied. “She’s doing her best but it would seem that young Henry prefers his birth mother.”

Effie glanced at him. “You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”

“What?”

“You knew who Henry was when you arranged for Regina to adopt him. You wanted him to bring Emma here.”

He grinned at her. “You know me, dearie; when have I ever done anything without good reason?”

“Or a lengthy, complex plan; you’re right,” Effie agreed. “Thing is, well, from what I’ve seen of Emma, she seems to be a realist. She’s determined not to believe in magic and stuff.”

“Hence why we’re helping her along.” Mr Gold smiled. “You don’t need to worry; she will break the curse. In time.”

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again,” sighed Effie, signalling Ruby for a refill. “Life was always so much simpler with magic.”


	10. 7:15 AM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effie notices that David Nolan is falling for Mary Margaret and vice-versa; meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest, Elphaba watches Rumplestiltskin make an unusual deal with Snow White...

“Morning, Effie!”

Effie looked up and smiled as the once Prince Charming walked into the shelter. “Morning, David,” she grinned, and then “You ok?”

“Huh?” He frowned. “Yeah; why?”

“You’ve got a funny look on your face.”

He scoffed. “I do not.”

“You do so.” Effie put her head on one side. “It wouldn’t be anything to do with a certain Mary Margaret, would it?”

David flushed. “No! What do you mean? I don’t know what you mean.”

“Come on, David. You obviously like her.”

“No!” David insisted. “No! I’m with Kathryn.”

“It’s ok,” Effie tried to convince him. “She’s beautiful. You’re only human. A lot of men around here fancy her.”

David looked flustered. “Do they?”

“Ok, that came out wrong.” Effie winced. “Sorry. But the point I’m trying to make is...is...” She broke off and shrugged. “I have no idea what I’m talking about.”

“No, I have no idea what you’re talking about either,” David replied, in relief. 

“So, shall we just forget the whole thing and move on?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, well, we have four very scruffy dogs in need of a bath, so you can give me a hand there.”

“How’s your pet monkey, by the way?” asked David. “What did you say his name was? Chittery?”

“Chistery,” Effie corrected him. “He’s just fine. Come on, let’s get to work.”

Poor Charming, she thought, as they set about bathing Lady, Tramp, Dodger and Angel. And poor Abigail too, and especially poor Snow White. Regina did so love twisting tales to make others as miserable as she often was. If she were a nice character to begin with, Effie might have felt sorry for her being as she was. Still, she thought, if David Nolan was beginning to develop feelings for Mary Margaret, and they were stronger than his feelings for Kathryn, that could very well put a spanner in the works, as far as Regina and keeping this curse strong were concerned. 

***

“How much for this?”

Snow White, the fairest one of all, turned with a start. “Excuse me?”

“Your boat,” replied the Dark One, who was sitting neatly in the vessel, having aparated into it in the blink of an eye. “Exquisite craftsmanship.”

“It’s not for sale,” stammered Snow White.

“Of course it is, dearie. No one comes to see me without a deal in mind.”

“What do you want with a boat, Rum?” asked Elphaba from the mooring post. Snow White jumped and whipped to face her. She was leaning against the post, broom in hand. Snow White stared at her. Even in the dim night, it was clear to see that Elphaba was emerald green in colour. “Wow,” she exclaimed, catching her breath. “You really are green like they say!”

Elphaba rolled her eyes. “And you really are the fairest of them all, Princess.”

Snow White glanced at Rumplestiltskin. “She’s the Wicked Witch of the West and you’re Rumplestiltskin?”

“Indeed,” he replied. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you. What can we do for you?”

“I need a cure.”

“What ails you, child?”

“A broken heart.”

“Ah. The most painful of afflictions.”  


“Well, I’m afraid if you want us to make him love you, no can do,” Elphaba replied as her best friend hopped lightly out of the boat and onto the mooring stage. 

“Oh, no. That’s not the problem,” Snow White explained. “We can’t be together.”

“Well that, I think we can help you with,” Rumplestiltskin replied. He pulled out an empty vial and dipped it in the water. When he took it out, the water in the vial turned a cloudy white.

“That’ll do it?” Snow White asked. 

“Not yet,” Elphaba replied.

“She’s right,” Rumplestiltskin agreed. “No two loves are exactly alike. We must make this personal.”

He pulled out a strand of Snow White’s hair and added it to the solution.

“So, if I drink that, I’ll no longer love him?” Snow White asked. 

“The next time you see the object of your grief, you won’t even remember who he is,” Rumplestiltskin told her.

“Won’t remember him?”

“Love is the most powerful magic. The cure must be extreme.”

“‘Extreme’ sounds like an understatement.”

“Look, you want to be cured, don’t you?” Elphaba couldn’t help snapping. 

“Well, yes.”

“Don’t doubt yourself now, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin chided. “Love makes us sick, haunts our dreams, destroys our days. Love has killed more than any disease. This cure is a gift.”

“What’s your price?” asked Snow White.

Rumplestiltskin held up the remaining strands of her hair. “These’ll do.”

“What do you need of my hair?” asked Snow White suspiciously.

“What do you need of it now it’s been plucked from your head?” He held out the vial. “Do we have a deal?”

Snow White took the potion from him.

“I thought so,” Rumplestiltskin grinned. “Drink it in good health, Snow White.”

“Good luck,” Elphaba said to her.

Snow White turned and went back to her boat. The second she had sailed out of sight, Elphaba turned to Rumplestiltskin, who was busily examining the strands of hair he had taken from Snow White. “Well? Are you going to tell me what all that was about?”

“Relax, dearie; Charming will find her and break the spell; but he won’t find her without our help; and then we get some of his hair too.”

“For what? Rum, what are you trying to-?” Elphaba broke off. “Wait? Are you trying to bottle True Love?”

“Just for a rainy day, Elphie.”

“Rum, no sorcerer has ever achieved that before in their life!”

“Then I guess I’ll be the first,” he grinned. 

“Rum, I’ll make you a deal.”

“A deal?” He looked up. “I’m all ears, dearie.”

“If you can bottle True Love and make a potion from Snow White and Prince Charming’s hair, I’ll give you any spell at all you choose from the Grimmerie.”

“Any spell at all?”

“Any spell at all.”

Rumplestiltskin grinned at her. “And if I can’t manage it?”

“Then you have to do everything without magic for a week.”

“Everything?”

“Everything.”

He scowled at her. “You’re wicked, Elphaba.”

“So they tell me,” she replied, knowing that he was only saying it in jest. “Do we have a deal?”

“We do.”

They shook on it.

***

“Good,” said Mr Gold when Elphaba told him what was going on. “I told you love is the most powerful magic there is.”

Effie laughed. “Excuse me, Rumplestiltskin! I believe I said that to you when I first started teaching you how to control your powers!”

“Well, no one else needs to know that, do they?” he muttered. 

She laughed again and gave him a playful nudge. “Must you be so stubborn all the time?”

“Only when it suits me, dearie,” he replied, giving her a nudge back. 

Effie glanced up as the clouds began to rumble overhead. “There’s a storm brewing. Do you recon it’s a sign of something?”

“Something bad, yes.” 

She glanced at him and Mr Gold nodded at the approaching figure. “Evening, Madame Mayor,” she said, heart sinking. 

“Something eating you, dearie?” Mr Gold asked her. 

Regina did look a little flustered. “Nothing for either of you two to be concerned with.”

“Really?” Effie put her hands into her pockets. “Your face would suggest otherwise.”

Regina scowled at her. “I hear you’ve been putting ideas in David Nolan’s head, Miss Tremaine.”

“Ideas? About what?” Effie frowned. 

“I think you know.”

“If you’re on about dog grooming tips,” began Effie. 

“No, I am not on about dog grooming tips!” snapped Regina. “I heard you’ve been talking to him about how attractive Mary Margaret Blanchard is.”

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with Effie pointing out the obvious to a man who is very obviously taken with Miss Blanchard, is there?” asked Mr Gold, coming to her rescue. Effie shot him a grateful smile. 

Regina flushed crimson as her apples. “It might interest you to know that David Nolan is not about to leave his pregnant wife for that schoolteacher, so I think you should stop trying to encourage him, Miss Tremaine, otherwise-!”

“Whoa, what?” Effie held up her hand. “Did you just say that Kathryn’s pregnant?”

Regina looked like she’s just let slip something she shouldn’t have done, but she regained her composure. “I trust you’ll be discreet about such things. Their lives are their business, not yours, and certainly not Mary Margaret Blanchard’s!”

She turned and swept away from them. Effie glanced at Mr Gold. “Was that supposed to happen?”

“She’s bluffing,” muttered Mr Gold. “Either that or Kathryn just thinks she’s pregnant, but isn’t.”

“Let’s hope so,” muttered Effie. “This could really complicate-”

She was cut off by the sound of her phone ringing. To her surprise, it was Mary Margaret. “Snow White,” she informed Mr Gold, before answering. “Hello?”

“Hi, it’s me, Effie. Listen, I’m on the outskirts of the forest and there’s a dove trapped in some plastic netting. Do you have some wire cutters or something on you?”

“Oh, yeah, I have my Swiss Army pliers; hold on, I’ll be right there.” Effie hung up and turned to Mr Gold. “Sorry; duty calls and all that.”

“Alright, I’ll see you later,” Mr Gold replied. “Just try not to do anything to land either of you in Regina’s bad books again, right?”

“Right.”

***

“Guess what?” Elphaba said, landing neatly inside the walls of the Dark Castle.

“What?” asked Rumplestiltskin. “Have circumstances engineered by King George forced our young lovers to be apart so Snow White has taken the potion we gave her after all?”

Elphaba frowned. “Yes. How would you know that?”

“I had it planned.”

“No way! That I cannot believe!”

He offered her a manic giggle in response. “It’s all working brilliantly, dearie! Soon Prince Charming will be knocking on our door, and then I’ll have mastered the bottling of True Love!”

Elphaba opened the Grimmerie. “Well, you haven’t yet; don’t get so cocky, Rumplestiltskin. But just out of interest, which spell would you pick, out of all these?”

“How about the spell To Call The Lost Forward?”

Elphaba glanced at him. “That’s kind of a dangerous one. I’ve never used it before. You don’t know what might happen.”

“What have I got left to lose, Elphaba? Answer me that.”

***

At the pet shelter, Mary Margaret, Effie, David and Dr Thatcher, the vet, were all standing around the dove in her cage. Effie had been able to cut her free of the netting and then she and Mary Margaret had got her to the shelter, whilst David had phoned the vet. 

“Well, the good news is, no broken bones,” said Dr Thatcher. “She was just a little dehydrated, but I got her some fluids and she should be just fine.”

“And the bad news?” asked Mary Margaret.

“Well, this is a north Atlantic dove,” Dr Thatcher explained. “It’s a migratory species. Very unique among American doves. They tend to form strong, monogamous bonds, meaning-”

“If I don’t get her back to her flock, she’ll be alone forever,” Mary Margaret finished.

“Well, it’s a long shot, but the alternative…”

“She won’t be happy here,” Effie finished, remembering something that she, no, that Effie Tremaine, had read about doves.

Dr Thatcher nodded and put the dove in a cage. 

“I’ll take my chances,” said Mary Margaret. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“You’re welcome. Good luck.”

“Mary Margaret, there’s a storm coming,” said David. “You really shouldn’t go out there.”

“He’s right,” Effie put in.

“Well, the storm’s coming tomorrow. If I wait, she could be lost forever. Completely alone. No one deserves that.”

“Then let me drive you,” David said.

“I don’t need your help, David,” Mary Margaret told him. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’d better go after her,” Effie told him after she had gone. “Something bad might happen to her.”

Alright, so Mr Gold had warned her about upsetting Regina, but she couldn’t very well allow something bad to happen to Snow White, now could she?

***

“I can’t get it!” Elphaba sighed. “It’s stuck!”

“Try again!” Rumplestiltskin persisted. 

“I can try until I’m blue in the face, Rum, and given my skin tone, that could take forever! It’s not doing it!” The Grimmerie was refusing to give out the spell To Call The Lost Forward. Right now it was intent on giving Elphaba a completely different spell. “Look, this thing is alive! I can’t make it do something it doesn’t want to do! All it will show me is the spell To Call Winter Upon The Water!”

“Fat lot of good that does us!” Rumplestiltskin snapped. 

“Hey, don’t blame me! It might be my book but I don’t control it’s magic!”

Rumplestiltskin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Elphie. I just thought...”

He broke off. 

Elphaba nodded. “I know. Rum, I’m so sorry.”

***

Sitting in the confines of her bedroom, Elphaba flicked through the Grimmerie. She could find no trace of the spell To Call The Lost Forward. In it’s non-magic state, she couldn’t find any spells she recognized in there at all. She eventually sighed, put the thing down and curled up in bed to think.

“Please let Emma break the curse soon,” she muttered. She felt bad for not being able to give the spell to Mr Gold, even now that she had the spellbook it came from back in her hands...


	11. Fruits of the Posionous Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effie's feeling unwell so it's up to Mr Gold to fill her in on the events of the day. Meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest, Elphaba need to find the deadly Agrabah Viper - but why?

Effie was woken by the sound of the telephone ringing. It was three weeks since the election that had elevated Emma to the position of Sheriff and not much had happened since then, or at least, not much that the former Wicked Witch of the West would describe as “interesting.” She felt awful, headachy, her throat felt rubbed raw. “Who’s calling at this time in the morning?” she groaned, glancing at the clock and giving a start. It was eleven o’clock in the morning.

She answered the phone. “Hello?”

“Hi, Effie, it’s me.”

“Oh, hey, David,” she said, her voice sounding dry. “Let me guess, you’re wondering why I’m not there, right?”

“Yeah, I was just about to go and check out if Mr Gold knew where you were,” David laughed. 

Effie smiled. “Oh, sorry, I overslept; and I feel awful. I don’t think I’m going to be able to make it in today.”

“Oh, ok, I was just thinking that it’s not really like you to skip work or anything.”

“Trust me, if I were feeling well, I’d be there.”

“Ok, well, get well soon, and see you tomorrow, hopefully.”

“Hopefully.” Efgie bade him goodbye and hung up the phone. It was always nice to be missed. Then, she checked the clock and realised that she had forgotten to set her alarm. “No wonder I slept in,” she muttered, pushing back the blankets. “Still, maybe it’s for the best. Rest’s good for illness, right?”

People often said that talking to yourself was a sign of madness, and maybe it was, but Effie wasn’t worried. All the running around behind Regina’s back they did was enough to drive anyone to madness. Wrapping herself in a dressing gown that was as green as her skin had once been, she shuffled downstairs to make some herbal tea and took it back to bed. Right on cue, as she was climbing in beneath the duvet again, her mobile rang. She had a feeling she knew who it would be before she even picked up.

“Hello?”

She could almost see Mr Gold frowning as he said “What’s the matter with you? You’ve not been crying, have you?”

“No, but I appreciate your sympathy,” she replied, sarcastically. He chuckled. “No, I’m ill.”

“You’re never ill, Elphie.”

“Well I am now,” she groaned, rubbing her eyes. “Seriously I feel awful.”

“You know, if we were still in a land with magic, I’d be prepared to swear that Regina had put a spell on you, dearie.”

“Who’s to say she hasn’t?”

It was a feeble joke but it cause him to laugh. “Anyway,” she sighed, “what are we up to today, and by “we” I mean you?”

“I have something to discuss with our mutual friend, Madame Mayor. I was going to ask you to join me but if you’re not up to it...”

“Yeah, sorry, Rum, but I think you’ll have to fight this one alone.”

“No matter, dearie.”

“But I’ll be with you in spirit.”

“Much appreciated.”

“Oh, listen, could you do me a favour?”

“Depends. What’s it worth?”

Effie rolled her eyes. “Eternal gratitude and your best friend not clouting you with the Grimmerie, much as she’d really like to right now?”

“Fair enough. What do you want?”

“If you see Granny or Ruby today, ask them if they do home deliveries. If yes, put in an order for a slice of chocolate walnut cake.”

“An extra large slice, I’m guessing?” Mr Gold replied, drily.

“Oh, come on, I’m ill!”

“Fine, but if you get too heavy for your broomstick-!”

“Rumplestiltskin!” she almost screeched. “For that, I might just clout you around the head with the Grimmerie!”

“Shutting up,” he grinned. “I’ll pop by later, tell you how it went.”

“Yeah, you’d better,” she grinned. “See you there.”

“Elphie?”

“Yeah?”

“Get better soon.”

“I’ll do my best, oh Dark One.”

After she’d hung up, Effie sat back and sipped her tea, pondering just what exactly the former spinner and ex-Dark One could possibly be up to this time...

***

Elphaba sat back against the apple tree, praying that it wasn’t about to start throwing its apples around. That was all she needed. Bad enough that she was here for a pretty terrible reason. 

Presently, that which she was waiting for, appeared. As green as the grass and her skin, the Serpent coiled its way towards her. She knew the Snake of old, but that was a story that could wait for another time. 

“Well, well,” hissed the Serpent. “It has been a long time, hasn’t it?”

Elphaba smiled, grimly. “I need your help.”

“So I gathered.”

“I wanted to ask about the Agrabah Viper. Where can I find one?”

“Have you tried Agrabah?”

Effie had no time for sarcasm. “I know that one escaped somewhere near here from a merchant tradesman; can you point me in the right direction, please?”

“What do you need it for?”

She scowled. “That’s my business.”

The Serpent flicked a forked tongue at her. “Well, I can tell you where to find it, although you probably won’t like me for it.”

Elphaba understood. “In this tree, right?”

“Right above your head as a matter of fact.”

Elphaba looked up and sure enough, there was the viper. “That’s a viper, right?” she guessed. “Not an Intelligent Viper?” 

“No, but it’s bite is deadly poisonous.”

“Hence why I need it. Look, can you talk to it, please? Tell it that I need its help?”

The Serpent looked put out. “I am not your slave! I am a free Intelligent Serpent!”

“Look, if you do this for me, I’ll never bother you for anything again, ok?”

The Serpent immedietly slithered up the tree. “Tell it I need to put it in a box, for a little while, but it will be able to breathe. It’s required to bite someone by the person I give it to.”

The Serpent dictated this to the viper, which then, with some reluctance, slithered down the tree and into Elphaba’s lap. Wordlessly she held out the casket she planned to keep it in and it slithered inside. Clicking it closed, she looked up at the Serpent. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” hissed the Serpent.

Elphaba got to her feet and left the forest. At the gates of King Leopald’s castle, she met Regina’s father. “One method of release,” she said, calmly, holding out the box. He went to take it but she pulled it back, one eyebrow raised. “And what she took from me?”

The man held up a metal cage. Inside Chistery cowered and scratched a flea bite. Elphaba scowled. “She kept him in a cage?”

“He was difficult to control,” Regina’s father replied, warily. 

Elphaba took the cage and handed over the box. “Don’t open it,” she warned. “It bites.” She turned and left the man blinking in bewilderment, wondering what “method of release” the Wicked Witch of the West had just delivered to them. Elphaba opened the cage and the second Chistery was free of it, she tossed it to one side. “Regina will pay a very heavy price for this,” she told him.

***

The rapid knocking on her front door caused Elphaba to stir. “Alright, alright,” she grumbled, shuffling to the door. “Don’t bash my door in!” 

Her best friend gave her a grin and held up a cardboard box tied up with string. “Turns out they do do home deliveries.”

She smiled. “I would say you’re a saint, but I know you hate that term, so I’ll settle for saying you’re brilliant instead,” she said, ushering him inside. 

“Well, we both knew that already,” he quipped. 

Effie smiled and rubbed her throat. “Thanks, Rum.”

“You ok?” He laid a hand on her forehead. “No temperature,” he observed. 

“I don’t need you nursing me, Rum,” she smiled, batting away his hand. “It’s just a sore throat. Nothing that some honey and lemon tea can’t fix; and you can make it.”

“What did your last slave die of?” he asked.

“Beatings at the hands of the Wizard’s guards.” Effie shuddered, automatically. She hated remembering who that man was; it was a piece of her past she liked to block out altogether. Mr Gold knew that shudder all to well. Without a word, he gave her a hug. “Go sit down, I’ll make you some tea,” he told her. 

“So, what were you doing with Regina today, anyway?” Effie asked, when they were both settled in the living room with their tea and the cake Granny had sent over. 

“Making negotiations over a certain plot of land she wished to purchase,” Mr Gold replied, casually, stretching out his bad leg. 

“And did she? Buy it, I mean?”

“Yep.”

“Why did she want it?”

“You’ll see.”

“You’re up to something, aren’t you?”

“When am I not, dearie?”

“Ok, so does Emma know about this?”

“She does now. I told her and Sydney Glass personally.”

“Sydney?”

“It would seem that they’re working together,” Mr Gold mused, putting down his cup.

“But he’s on Regina’s side,” Effie remembered. “Shouldn’t we tell her?”

“Let’s let her make her own mistakes, dearie. She’s clever. She’ll work it out eventually.”

“And then we’ll be closer to breaking the curse?”

“Correct.”

“I hope you’re right,” Effie said, finishing her tea. “You’ve kind of got to feel sorry for the Genie, though. He fell in love with Regina, she led him on and then betrayed him.”

Mr Gold shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I have to like him any more, does it?”

“No,” she agreed, “you’re right. We created a monster there, though, Rum, you can’t deny.” 

“We can handle Regina, dearie.” Mr Gold got to his feet. “Best be off now. I hope you feel better tomorrow.”

“Me too,” sighed Effie. “Being ill is not fun.”

Mr Gold chuckled. “Tell me about it.”

“Well, look, I’ll see you tomorrow whatever happens.”

“You will,” he agreed, as she showed him to the door. “You owe me lunch for bringing you that cake.”

“That wasn’t part of our deal.”

“Well, I’ve always been one for bending the rules, dearie, haven’t I?” he grinned.

Effie giggled. “Ok, you’re on. Oh and if Regina does anything to piss you off...”

“Let me guess,” he grinned, “You’ll clout her with the Grimmerie?”

“I’ll give her such a clout that she won’t know if it’s Good Friday or Bonfire Night!”

“Good plan,” Mr Gold commented.

“Well, that’s what happens when you pick fruits of the poisonous tree, isn’t it? It comes back to bite you in the butt.”


	12. Skin Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valentine's Day in Storybrooke brings nothing but heartache to a certain pawn shop owner whilst in the Enchanted Forest Elphaba learns that her best friend is in love at last...

"Oh, this is no way to do business, Gold. You are the lowest! People aren’t going to put up with this!"

Effie looked up in time to see the delivery van for the florist shop, wittingly named Game of Thorns, being driven away by a lackey in the pay of her best friend; the man in question was strolling along the pavement in the opposite direction to her. He made no attempt to respond to Moe French's threats, which, Effie was sure, were just the empty rants if a careless man who had once been a king or a lord or something. At any rate, he as now looking at her. "Mark my words, Miss Tremaine, you ought to pick your friends more carefully."

Effie rolled her eyes. "Mr French, I would trust Mr Gold with my life; and I advise you to keep your empty threats inside your mind unless you want another bad thing to happen to you today. Excuse me."

She caught up with the former Dark One in several quick strides. "You're cracking down on him pretty hard today, aren't you?"

He didn't look at her. "It's THAT day again."

"Oh, right." Valentine's Day. "Sorry, I forgot."

"That's ok."

Effie sighed. Valentine's Day was supposed to be a day for lovers, but when you'd lost your loved ones, it was very, very hard to be happy on such a holiday. 

"Well, that was quite a show back there."

Effie and Mr Gold looked up to see the Mayor standing in front of their path. 

"Well," Mr Gold replied, keeping his cool as usual; something which Effie had always admired him for, especially with someone like Regina. "Mr. French is just having a bad day – happens to the best of us."

Effie stiffled a giggle. Regina glanced at her and then snapped her attention back to Mr Gold. "I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, and the moment you have something I want to discuss, we’ll have that little chat."

"No, we’re going to do this now. It’ll only take a moment." Regina glanced at Effie again. "Without certain unwanted parties."

Effie raised her eyebrows. "And I thought people only said that about you, Madame Mayor."

Mr Gold almost laughed himself. Regina tossed her head, in defiance. "Is there something eating you, dearie?" Mr Gold asked. "Something you need to get out in the open? Cause it’s going to have to wait. Please."

They brushed past Regina, who couldn't have looked more shocked if one of them had just slapped her. "Savour the moment," Mr Gold muttered to Effie. "It's not going to last long."

"Just as long as it lasts until today's over." Effie glanced at him. He looked satisfied that he had gotten the better of Regina, yet again, and yet, as usual, there was that old sadness in his eyes. Feeling the need to ask, she said "Can I shout you a coffee?"

"Better make it to go, dearie. I've got a lot of work today."

Together they both headed into Granny's. 

***

"Do I or don't I?" Elphaba wondered aloud. "On the one hand, he might be in the middle of something and he can get pretty scary now with the Dark One inside him if someone inturrupts him. On the other hand, he IS my best friend and I AM worried about him, especially after what happened with Bae..." Elphaba made up her mind and gripped her broomstick. Sitting up in the criss-cross branches of a shady pine tree, she was well hidden from sight, especially in her black clothing. She turned to the winged monkey next to her, who was her pet. "You'd better stay here, Chistery. He's not that keen on animals." The monkey looked at her with his head on one side before nodding once. "Good boy," Elphaba muttered, before scaling down from the tree and hurrying up to the Dark Castle. 

"Come!" came the reply before she had even knocked on the doors, which swung open at once to admit her. Rumplestiltskin was at his spinning wheel. "Is this a social call or do you want something?" he asked, teasingly.

"I'm NOT the Wicked Queen, Rum," Elphaba reminded him, looking around the room. "Hey, there's something different about this place." Her eyes fell on the windows. "Rum, since when do you have the curtains open?"

He gave a careless shrug without looking at her. "Since I got my new caretaker, dearie."

Elphaba glanced at him, and then as she looked around the room, she saw the single red rose in the vase in the middle of the room. "Let me guess; a woman. What's her name?"

"Belle," he muttered. 

She giggled. "Rumplestiltskin, are you blushing?"

"I wouldn't dare give you the satisfaction, Elphie," he replied, turning to face her, with a grin. 

"So, go on then, what's she like?"

"Everything a caretaker should be; efficiant, punctual, thorough..."

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "I meant, is she nice? Is she funny? Does she share the same interests as you? You know, all the usual stuff."

"She's pretty clumsy."

"Clumsy?" Elphaba laughed. "And she's still working here?" 

"She has survived so far, yes," Rumplestiltkin replied, impishly. 

"So, where is she now, then? I don't hear the sound of happy magic brooms sweeping the place."

"She....went to town. I let her go to fetch me some straw, for the wheel."

"You trust her to come back?"

"Nope!"

"Then, why let her go in the first-?" Rumplestiltskin did look slightly flushed then, and the penny dropped. Her eyes widened. "Oh, Gods, Rum! You're falling in love with her!"

With a squeal of delight she hugged him. "I am not!" Rumplestiltskin protested, with a slight growl, wriggling out of her grip. "Get off me!"

"Oh, this is brilliant!" Elphaba bounced on the balls of her feet, clapping her hands in a good imitation of her best friend. "You're in love!"

"Am not!" he insisted, striding past her towards the kitchen. Elphaba followed him. "Don't deny it, Rum! I've known you for...however many years it's been! I know when you're lying!"

"Shut up, Elphie!"

"I will the second you admit you're in love with her!"

"I am not!"

"Rum, whenever a person denies something like this, they're lying. People always say the opposite of what they mean, it's a fact of life." She pursed her lips. "Now, if you were to admit that you were in love with her, I'd be inclined to think that you weren't."

"Alright; I'm in love with her!"

"I knew it!" Ephaba cried. "You just fell for the classic witch trial trick, Rum!"

"Elphaba!" Rumplestiltskin groaned. 

Elphaba giggled again. "This is brilliant! Who would have thought it? The Dark One in love. Oh, wait until I tell Nessa-argh!" 

Rumplestiltskin had had enough of his best friend's jibes, and so, with a flick of his wrist, he caused a bucket of water on top of one of the cupboards to topple and spill the contents all over her. Elphaba shrieked and stared up at him with horrified eyes, soaked to the skin. He couldn't help giggling at her. "Rumplestiltskin!" Elphaba cried. "You know I hate water!"

"You had it coming, dearie!" he replied. 

"Yeah? Well," Elphaba flicked her sodden hair out of her eyes and looked at him, sternly, "you had THIS coming!"

And, with that, she caused a sack of flour from on top of another cupboard to fall and exploded all over him. "Elphaba!" Rumplestiltskin exclaimed. 

"Now we're even!" Elphaba snapped, shaking her head like a wet dog. Then, seeing the now rather comically flour-covered Rumplestiltskin in front of her, she burst into a peel of laughter. "Oh, Gods! If Belle saw you like that-!"

"She'd have a fit because of the mess!" he snapped back. "Help me clear this up!"

"You started it!" she reminded him, folding her arms and fixing him with a look.

"Fine, I'm sorry." Rumplestiltskin looked up at her, sheepishly, almost like the old Rumplestiltskin was looking at her again. 

Elphaba smiled. "Me too." She clicked her fingers and both floor and her best friend were devoid of flour. "Now, if you'd be so kind, Rum..."

He snapped his fingers and she was dry. "Much obliged, Rumpy!"

"Watch it, Elphie," he said, pointing at her, "or I'll do that again, and don't think that I won't."

She grinned. "I'm not scared. Rum," her tone was serious now, "if you let Belle go, there had to be a reason."

He looked at the floor. "I want to know if she'll come back. I don't expect she will."

"Why not?"

He looked up at her with a sad smile. "Because no one could ever love a beast like me, dearie."

Feeling sorry for him, Elphaba gave him a hug, and this time he returned it. "You know, you're the only person I know who can stand to be touched by me, dearie."

"Rum, I'm a girl who was born with green skin and strange powers; give me some credit!" Elphaba smiled. "Look, maybe she will come back. In fact, I'll bet a whole new broomstick that she will."

He glanced at her and then grinned. "You're on, Elphie; and if she doesn't, then you have to clean the Dark Castle - without magic - for a week. All fair? Do we have a deal?"

"We do."

They shook on it. 

***

"Not spending Valentine's Day with anyone, Effie?" asked Ruby, as she came up to Effie's table with the coffee pot. 

Effie smiled. "No one to spend it with, Ruby."

"You should come out with us; me, Ashley and Mary Margaret are having a girl's night out."

"Nah, much as I'd like to, I think I'd be pretty poor company."

"Speaking of poor company," Ruby muttered as the diner door swung open and Mr Gold came into the dinner, looking most unhappy. "I'll leave you to it."

She scuttled away as Mr Gold came up to Effie's table. Effie put down her cake fork. "What's Regina done now?" she asked. 

"Guess."

Effie looked up at him. He was seething in silence. "She's...taken something from you?"

"Got someone else to."

"What did she-?" Elphie's eyes widened. "Not Belle's cup?" she whispered. "Who did she get to take it?"

"French."

"Oh, Gods! What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to get it back," he almost growled. "Whatever. It. Takes."

With that, he turned on his heel and was at the door when Effie thought to call out "Don't do anything stupid!"

He didn't answer; merely walked through the door without looking back. Effie put her head down on the table and groaned. 

"Everything ok?" Ruby asked, coming back to her table. 

"Men!" Effie sighed, raising her head. "When are they going to admit that they need us girls? Can I get a refill, please?"

"Sure!"

***

"What did that dragon want?" Elphaba asked, strolling into the Dark Castle, moments after she had seen Regina leave it with a smirk writ all over her face. Rumplestiltskin didn't answer; he had his back to her. "So," Elphaba added, to break the tension, "did Belle come back?"

Rumplestiltskin flicked his wrist over his shoulder. Immedietly Elphaba's tatty broomstick disappeared to be replaced by a better quality one. "Mahongany wood!" Elphaba grinned. "You must be feeling generous!" Then she realised that he was in no mood for joking. "Rum?"

"She's gone, Elphie."

"You let her go again?"

"No."

"Then...what happened?"

"I was a fool and a coward, Elphaba!" He turned to her and she saw that his eyes were swimming with tears. "I accused her of working for Regina. That was what that evil woman wanted - to tear us apart!"

"Rum, if you love her, then go after her!"

"Elphie, it's too late! She's gone for good. Because of me..."

There was nothing for Elphaba to do but hug him as they both wept enough tears to flood a village...

***

Effie did think it strange the next day when she didn't see Mr Gold walking the streets, but then she thought that perhaps he was off somewhere, terrorizing Regina. She hoped so. 

It was a warm day and she felt like ice cream, so she made her way to Granny's, where she almost collided with Ashley. "Hey!" she grinned. "I heard about the engagement! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Effie! Sean and I are so excited. Actually, I wondered if you'd do me a favour."

"Sure, name it."

"Well, I know you make dresses in your spare time and I was hoping that, well, you might make mine for the wedding."

"Are you kidding? I'd love to! And, hey, because you're a friend, I'll cut you a discount!" 

"Oh, thanks, Effie!" Ashley smiled, gratefully. 

"Well, hey, why don't I come over to yours tonight and we'll look through some designs together?" 

"Great! Say about sevenish?"

"Sevenish! I'll be there!"

Ashley skipped off and Effie happily chose a butterscotch cone. Whilst she was paying, Henry and Emma came into the diner. "Morning, Effie!" Henry chirped.

"Morning, Henry!" she replied, with a nod to Emma. "Sheriff Swan."

"Morning," Emma smiled. "Go on, then, Henry; we'd best be quick or your mom will kill me."

"Umm..." Henry frowned. "Effie, what kind of ice cream does Mr Gold like?" 

Effie smiled. "Oh, I know that he happens to have a fondness for rum and raisin." She frowned as Henry ordered. "Wait, how come you're getting ice cream for Mr Gold?"

"Sort of a promise," Emma replied, with a wry smile. "I mean, he has been in a cell for most of the night, so-"

"Whoa, wait; what?!" Effie held up her hand. "He's been locked up? Why?"

"Didn't you hear? He assaulted Moe French; nearly beat him to death with his cane." 

Effie groaned. "I told him! I said don't do anything stupid!" She sighed and looked at Emma. "Is it alright if I go see him?" 

Eamma glanced at Henry, who nodded. "I guess."

"Here." Henry handed her the cone. "Take him this, so it's not melted when we give it to him."

"Thanks, Henry," Effie smiled before leaving the diner. 

"It's ok," Henry said to Emma, "She's his best friend. We can trust her."

Effie got to the station just as Regina was leaving it. "Careful with that ice cream!" she snapped. "You nearly got it all over me!"

"Sorry, Madame Mayor," Effie muttered. 

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat" Regina smirked, "But I have to go visit an old friend of Mr Gold; so if you excuse me."

Elphaba brushed past her into the station. Mr Gold was sitting in his cell with his head down, looking at something in his hands. She saw what it was and smiled. There was only one way to get him to look up, she knew, and that was to dangle his ice cream in front of his nose. "This is from Emma and Henry," she said. 

"Well, look at that," he commented, drily. "They guessed my favourite flavour!" 

He took it from her without looking at her. Effie leaned against Emma's desk. "Rum, I hate to say I told you so-"

"Then, don't!" he growled. 

"But what were you thinking? I warned you not to do anything stupid."

"You didn't warn me not to do anything extreme," he countered, meeting her eyes for the first time. He had always been good at finding the loopholes in contracts. 

"Extreme; stupid; what's the difference?"

Mr Gold placed the chipped cup on the bench beside him. "She gave it back, then?" Elphaba said. 

"Obviously, he replied. 

"She's such a bitch!"

"Aye."

Effie licked her ice cream, thoughtfully. "Rum, have you considered that Belle might not have killed herself after all?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, looking up at her. 

"Something Regina said just now; that she was going to see an old friend of yours."

He smiled. "She could have been talking about anybody, dearie."

"True. Still..."

"Elphie, if Belle was still...here, I think I'd have found her by now." 

"Yeah!" Effie finished her ice cream with a sigh. "I guess I'm just clutching at straws." Mr Gold said nothing, and Effie knew he was that he was thinking about Belle. "We need to hit Regina back somehow," she decided, brushing cone crumbs from her hands. "Hard."

"Oh, don't worry, Belle, I'm already working on a plan."

"Um, Rum?" Effie looked at him. "I'm Elphie. You just called me Belle."

His eyes met hers. "Sorry, dearie; I was-"

"It's ok." Effie offered him a smile. "You know I'm here if you need me, right?"

"But, of course, deaire; we made a deal, didn't we?" 

"Well, when you get out of here, I'll owe you a hug, agreed?"

"Agreed." He managed a smile. "Thanks, Elphie."

"Catch you later, Rumpy!" she called over her shoulder. 

"Watch it, dearie!"

***

"You bitch!"

"Please, do come in and tread some mud into the carpet," Regina said, sarcastically, as she got to her feet. 

"You evil bitch!" Elphaba snapped. "You couldn't let him have just one shred of happiness, just one shred, after everything he's been through, after all he's suffered, could you?"

"Don't talk to me about suffering, Witch of the West!" Regina snapped back. "No one has suffered more than me!"

"So, not even the Dark One can have True Love?" Elphaba narrowed her eyes. "What would Daniel say if he knew what you were doing to everyone?" 

"Don't you put his name in your mouth!" Regina screeched. 

Elphaba took a step backwards. "You have made a very, very fatal mistake now, Regina! For as long as I live, I will fight you alongside Rumplestiltskin with all of my powers; and I will not rest until the Evil Regina has been wiped off the face of this earth!"

"Is that a threat, Witch?" 

"It's a promise, Regina!" Elphaba stuck her chin out, defiantly. "And the reason that Rumplestiltskin and I are friends is because we always keep our promises! Always!"


	13. What Happened to Frederick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effie learns that Mary Margaret's affair with David has been exposed, but she's a little too busy making a cake for a certain friend to be able to do much about it...

It was a busy day for Effie. 

First of all, she had spent the morning hurriedly searching the shelves of her home for a certain book. No, not the Grimmerie, this time, and even so, she doubted whether it contained a good rcipe for a simple honey cake. No, she was looking for her best cook book. 

“I know it’s here somewhere!” she muttered, and then she finally found it shoved to the back and covered in a thick layer of dust. She grimaced. “When did I last use this?”

Recipe found, she set off with a list of ingredients in her pocket and hurried off to Clark’s store. “Flour, eggs, milk, honey...” she muttered to herself as she ran, chanting it like a spell. Making a cake was something like making a potion, she reflected; one wrong ingredient and it could turn out to be a total disaster. 

“Having a baking day, Effie?” asked Clark, thickly, as he tried to ward off another sneeze. 

“Something like that,” Effie replied, not wishing to divulge the truth. 

The next step was actually making the cake. “If only I’d paid more attention in Home Economics before I went to Shiz!” she muttered, after a disastrous turn with the whisk set globules of cake mix everywhere. “Oh, well,” she sighed, running a flour-streaked hand across her brow. “The kitchen ceiling needed redecorating anyway!”

All this palava was down to the fact that it was a certain ex-spinner’s birthday today. Effie knew that he never liked to make a fuss of such occasions, hence why she hadn’t mentioned it to Clark, or anyone else for that matter. Plus, if such a fuss was made, it might only remind him of the fact that those he had lost weren’t there to celebrate it with him. So, Effie had planned to make a simple cake and card and pop it around to him that evening as a surprise. 

When she had eventually got the thing into the oven, Effie felt oddly hot, and so she stepped outside into the front garden for a breath of fresh air. Storybrooke was quiet today, perhaps they were all still reeling from the aftermath of Mr Gold’s actions against Moe French. Word spread quickly in this town and this incident had only served to make the other citizens of Storybrooke fear him even more. 

Effie had had her own encounter with Mr French not long after she had visited Mr Gold during his brief incarceration. She had managed to convince Dr Whale quite easily that she was simply concerned with a fellow townsperson’s well-being and he had quickly admitted her into Moe French’s private ward. 

Moe had been more than a little surprised to see her but he remained polite in the face of Dr Whale. After all, he had never really had any beef with Miss Tremaine, only the fact that she was friends with Mr Gold. “Hello, Miss Tremaine,” he said in a shaky tone, due to his many injuries. 

“How are you, Moe?” asked Effie, hands in pockets. 

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” said Dr Whale before Moe could reply, and he turned and left them alone in the room. The second they were alone, Effie glanced over her shoulder to make sure that he was out of earshot and then turned smartly back to Mr French. He cleared his throat. “Well, I must say, I’m surprised to see you, Miss Tremaine. I never thought you’d care that much-”

“About you?” Effie scowled at him, her tone harsh. “Don’t flatter yourself. I just came to give you a warning.” She stepped closer to him, eyeing him in a way that rendered him speechless. “Now, listen. Just because you don’t remember the reason for Mr Gold’s hatred of you doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen. You already took away one thing he loved dearly, and then to take away the other thing just because Regina told you to, well, I never thought you’d sink that low but I see I was wrong. Now, I’ll let you off the hook this time because I could go over your head about this and you know I could, but just remember this: if you ever, ever, ever hurt Mr Gold like that again, you’ll have me to answer to. And when I’m angry, I can make Mr Gold look tame.” She straightened up. “Get well soon.”

She was about to leave when Moe blurted after her “But it was just a cup!”

Effie spun around to face him. “It wasn’t “just” a cup. It’s all that’s left of the one woman he ever loved.” Again, she shot a scowl in his direction. “The one you took away from him!”

Before he could respond, Effie had left the room and she hadn’t seen Moe French since. 

“Hi, Effie,” said a glum voice, and she looked down at Henry. He grinned, suddenly, upon seeing her face. “You’ve got flour all over you!”

Effie smiled and clapped her hands together, sending up a great cloud of flour. “It gets everywhere. You ok, Henry?”

He shrugged. “I lost my book of stories when my castle went down.”

“Aw, gee, Henry, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok. I’ve been writing them all down again so I don’t forget them.”

“Good idea.” Effie hesitated. “I guess you’ve guessed Mr Gold’s reason for putting Mo French in the hospital.”

“Not really,” Henry frowned. “I think-”

“Henry!” That was Regina’s voice, cool and clipped as she came up. “Come on!”

“Ok.” Henry sighed, stole a glance at Effie and muttered “Emma still doesn’t believe. Can’t you do something?”

“Don’t worry, Henry, Mr Gold and I have a plan up our sleeves. We’re not beat yet.” It wasn’t a good idea to lie to a child but Effie knew she had to reassure Henry, and it brought the smile back to his face. “Go on, now, hop it. See you later.”

“Bye!” Henry waved and then ran to join his adopted mother. Not enjoying the feel of Regina’s eyes on her, Effie brushed herself free of flour and then went back inside the monitor the cake. In spite of everything, it turned out perfectly. Happily, Effie left it out to cool and then went out to pick up everything she needed to make a card for her best friend. 

Suddenly, to her surprise, Mary Margaret came hurtling past her, looking distressed. “Whoa!” exclaimed Effie, abruptly pivoting and hurrying to catch her up. “Mary Margaret, what’s up? You look like you just got slapped in the face!”

“Got it in one, Effie,” sighed Mary Margaret.

“What?!” Effie was aghast. “Who?”

“Kathryn.”

“Oh.” Effie felt slightly stunned. “Oh, Mary Margaret, I’m so sorry.”

“And if that wasn’t bad enough, now the whole town thinks I’m a trollop.” Mary Margaret sounded close to tears. Feeling sorry for her, Effie put her arm around her. “Granny seems to have totally changed her opinion of me.”

“Oh, she’s just an old fashioned sort of woman with old fashioned principles, you know that,” Effie said, comfortingly. “She’ll come around. Anyway, the whole town doesn’t think you’re in the wrong here. I don’t. Neither does Emma, or Mr Gold.”

Mary Margaret managed a watery smile. “Why? Are you saying it’s the kind of thing he’d do?”

Effie almost laughed. Well, he had fallen in love with a girl betrothed to a knight; alright, so the marriage had been arranged and she wasn’t happy with it, but technically he had stolen her away from her betrothed. Sort of. “You can’t help who you fall in love with,” she said. “I found that out a long time ago. Look, do you want to grab a drink or something? I mean, I’m off to the paper shop but I can divert...”

“No, thanks, I appreciate it, Effie, but I really need to talk to David,” sighed Mary Margaret. 

“Well, you know where I am if you need me,” Effie said. 

“Yeah, thanks, Effie. I’m glad someone’s on my side.” Mary Margaret managed another wobbly smile and set off again. 

“Poor Snow,” sighed Effie. This was all Regina’s fault, manipulating things so that Charming as actually married to Princess Abigail instead of Snow White; and that wasn’t fair on Abigail either, being separated from her beloved Frederick. Hitching her bag onto her shoulder, Effie made her way to the shop. “When I find that spell To Call The Lost Forward, I’m going to make sure that I use it to restore everyone’s True Love,” she vowed. “Hang “No Good Deed Will I Do Again!” Storybrooke needs the romance back!”

She spent the rest of the afternoon making a simple but heartfelt card, writing in gold ink, which she knew he would appreciate. Then, as the evening rolled in, she made her way to his home. He was out; which was good, because she wanted it to be a surprise that he wouldn’t see coming. 

Surprise was indeed the word as Mr Gold walked into his home and sensed that someone else was here. Of course, given what had happened on Valentine’s Day, his first thought was that it was happening all over again. Feeling for the pistol in his pocket he made his way into the living room and jumped, only a little, as he spotted Effie, leaning back in his best armchair, grinning at him. “Hey!”

“How did you get in here without magic?” Mr Gold asked in surprise. 

“With a key.” Effie grinned at him. “You’re not the only one who’s cunning, Rum. I had a copy of your house key made a long time ago, just for emergencies.”

“Well, I see you’ve made yourself at home,” he quipped. “I guess I’ll put the kettle on.”

“You do that,” Effie said, getting to her feet and following him into the kitchen, where she had left the cake and card. “Happy birthday, Rum,” she said, softly. 

He smiled at her. “Just what I wanted. Thanks, Elphie.”

“Yeah, well, even the Dark One deserves a birthday cake,” she replied, giving him a hug. 

They enjoyed a slice together over tea. “I take it you heard about Kathryn and Mary Margaret?” Effie asked. 

“I did, Elphie. I fear it’s only a matter of time before Regina puts the next stage of her plan to destroy her stepdaughter into motion.”

“Plan?”

He grinned. “I knew I had something else to tell you; and I’m going to need your help with this.”

“I’m listening,” Effie said, unaware as of yet that the gym teacher who worked in the school that Mary Margaret worked at had just found Kathryn’s abandoned crashed car by the side of the road just by the border of Storybrooke and he had discovered it empty...


	14. Dreamy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A younger Rumplestiltskin and Elphaba watch the fireflies but years later Elphaba's watching on her own and talking to a woman that Rumplestiltskin used to know; meanwhile in Storybrooke it's Miner's Day but can Mary Margaret sell all her candles?

In the Enchanted Forest, two small figures made their way through the woods in the direction of Firefly Hill. One was a boy, small, scrawny and with a mop of light brown, almost dark blonde, hair whilst the girl was dark and slim and moved with the grace of a cat. Both were seven years old and both trod with caution and deliberation. 

Presently the boy stopped and the girl walked into him. “Oof! Hey, watch it!”

“Sorry, but I think we’re lost!”

“Lost?” The girl scoffed. “We can’t be lost!”

“Well, I’m telling you, this part of the forest does not look familiar in any way!” Rumplestiltskin turned to his best friend. “At all!” he added, for emphasis. 

“Rum, everything looked different in the dark, I’m forever telling you that!” Elphaba ran her hand through her hair. “Look, come on, if we just keep going we’re bound to hit the edge of the forest and then we can find our way to Firefly Hill from there.”

Rumplestiltskin sighed. “Wish I hadn’t let you talk me into this now, Elphie!”

“Oh, why?” Elphaba squinted at him in the darkness. “Are you scared?”

He flinched. “No.”

“Good, because there’s nothing to be scared of.”

“Ok, stop patronizing me!”

“Stop acting like a ‘fraidy cat, then!” 

Something rustled and with a squeal, Elphaba ducked behind her best friend. Rumplestiltskin peered into the darkness and then, when he saw what had made the noise, he breathed out. “Elphie, it’s a fox!”

“Oh!” She breathed out. “Ok!”

“Who’s the ‘fraidy cat now?” he teased. 

She gave him a shove. “Shut up! Let’s just get there!”

Together they set off again through the thick of the forest and then finally they came to the outskirts of the forest. “Go on, then, say it,” sighed Rumplestiltskin, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“I told you so!” Elphaba smirked. “Look, there’s the hill! Come on!”

They hurried up the hill and settled themselves down on the grass as a flurry of fireflies flew up in front of their eyes. “Wow!” they both said, simultaneously. 

“That’s so magical!” sighed Elphaba. “Like stars coming up from the ground or something.”

“Should we make a wish, then?” asked Rumplestiltskin. 

“Ok! What do you want to wish for?”

“I shouldn’t tell you or it won’t come true.”

“No, no, we should both wish for the same thing! Come on, think of something.”

Rumplestiltskin cast his mind back over the things they had discussed in the past. A wish for no more magic, a wish to be normal, a wish to see the Emerald City but no, those were all things tht Elphaba wanted. What did he want? What could he wish for that she would want too?

“I’ve got it,” he said, finally. “It’s so simple.”

“Yeah? Hit me!”

“Wish that we’ll be best friends forever no matter what; even if we argue or something bad happens, we’ll always be a team.”

Elphaba grinned. “I think that’s the best kind of wish. But nothing more,” she added, quickly.

Rumplestiltskin frowned. “What?”

“Let’s never fall in love or anything, I mean no offence, but that’d be like falling in love with my brother.”

“Ew!” Rumplestiltskin grimaced. “No offence, Elphie, but I don’t fancy you at all!”

“Good!”

“Good!”

“Well, come on, let’s wish before the fireflies leave!”

“Ok!” The both closed their eyes. “You wishing for it?”

“I’m wishing for it. You?”

“I’m wishing for it.”

***

When Effie walked into Granny’s that day, the first thing she noticed was that everyone in the cafe’ was looking over at Mary Margaret like she was dirt under their feet or something. She sighed. So, no one had yet forgiven her for the whole David incident it seemed. Well, two could play at that game. 

“Coffee, Effie?” asked Granny. 

“No, thanks, Granny,” replied Effie, coolly. “Given the atmosphere in here, I’m guessing it’ll probably be bitter. Oh, and Mr Gold asked me to remind you that the rent’s due soon.”

She made her way over to Mary Margaret. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Miner’s Day,” sighed Mary Margaret. “I can’t get people to volunteer.”

“But they were queuing up last time; I remember it was a mile long down the road.”

“Hey!” Granny snapped to her. “You don’t pay, you don’t stay!”

“Good slogan,” muttered Effie. 

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” sighed Mary Margaret. 

Together they turned and left the cafe’. A second later, a voice called "Hey. Mind if I join you?”

They both turned as Emma walked up to them. “Hi,” smiled Effie.

“Hey,” Emma greeted her. “So, what the hell is Miner’s Day, and why are you beating yourself up over it?”

“It’s an annual holiday celebrating an old tradition. The nuns used to make candles and trade them with the miners for coal,” Mary Margaret explained. 

“Coal? In Maine?” Emma raised her eyebrows. “If they were mining for lobster, I’d understand.”

Effie laughed. “Look, I don’t know,” said Mary Margaret. “Now, they use it as a fundraiser. It’s an amazing party – everyone loves it.”

“It doesn’t seem like everyone loves it,” Emma pointed out.

“I know, I can’t figure it out either,” said Effie. “Like I said, last year everyone was happy to volunteer and now...”

“It’s not Miner’s Day – it’s me,” sighed Mary Margaret. “Last week, I had ten volunteers. This week, they all dropped out.”

“You think this is about what happened with David?” asked Emma. 

“Oh, I know it is. A few of them told me as much. I’ve never…been a home wrecker before.”

“Look, don’t listen to them, Mary Margaret,” said Effie, putting a comforting arm around her. “They don’t know what they’re talking about. It’s not like they’ve never done anything bad before.”

“She’s right,” chimed in Emma. “It’s going to blow over. You made a mistake with David – it happens. But, you don’t have to do charity to try to win people’s hearts back.”

“I have to do something, and this is the best I can do. Love ruined my life.”

Emma’s phone began to ring at that point and she answered it. “Sheriff Swan. Yeah. I’ll be right down.” She hung up and turned to her friends. “Well, apparently, duty calls. Hang in there. And, if there’s anything I can do to help, I will.”

“I know,” said Mary Margaret. “Thank you.”

“You can put me down as a volunteer too,” Effie told her. 

“Really?” Mary Margaret smiled, hopefully. 

“Sure thing.” Effie signed her name on the clipboard. “Anyway, like Emma said, duty calls, but I’ll catch you later, ok.”

“I thought it was your day off today?” Mary Margaret frowned. 

“It is; but I have to see a man about a car; metaphorically speaking,” Effie winked. “See ya.”

“Bye, and thanks!”

***

It was a moonless night and Elphaba made her way through the forest, trudging, dragging her broomstick behind her. Once again she was making her way to Firefly Hill, but this time, she was going there alone. Rumplestiltskin was still in very low spirits and she couldn’t blame him. After all, he had just lost the woman he loved. 

But wishing on the fireflies was a tradition she had vowed never to break, with or without him at her side, and so she continued onwards. To her surprise, when she got to the top of the hill, there were two people already up there. She frowned. A fairy and a dwarf? What was going on?

Hearing her approach, they both turned. The fairy gave a soft gasp and the dwarf said “Wicked Witch of the West?”

“Less of the Wicked,” smiled Elphaba. “You two can relax, I’m not going to hurt you. I just came to see the fireflies.”

“Oh, you like fireflies?” asked the fairy, in surprise.

“Rum and I used to come up here every year without fail and make a wish on them,” Elphaba replied, settling herself on the grass. “But this year I’m alone.”

The dwarf looked awkward. “Well, um, should we leave you to it or..?”

“No, it’s ok, I won’t take long.” Elphaba smiled. “I see I’ve interrupted a lovers tryst. Well, good luck to you, that’s all I can say.” Closing her eyes, Elphaba made the wish she had been reserving all year for this night. 

“I wish I could get my best friend back to the way he used to be.”

***

“Rum?” Effie called, pushing open the door of the shop. 

“Coming!” came his voice from the back room. 

“No rush!” Effie called, perching on the counter. She looked down at the newspaper he had left on the counter and picked it up. “Broken Glass; Sidney Glass fired from paper,” she read. “But I’m guessing that won’t stop hm being Regina’s lackey, right?”

“Got it in one,” replied Mr Gold, joining her at the counter. “Is this a social call or did you want something?”

“Very funny.”

“I thought it was.”

“I just thought you’d like to know that Emma’s checking out Katherine Nolan’s crashed car as we speak,” Effie told him. “You did leave everything in place, right?”

“When have you known me to make a mistake, Elphie?” he asked, with a grin. 

“No, fair enough. But it’ll all link back to Regina, right?”

“Absolutely,” replied Mr Gold. “Game, set and match to us, I think.”

“Right, so can we go for lunch; I’m starving?” 

He frowned. “Didn’t you just come from Granny’s?”

“I’m not buying anything from her until she starts treating Snow with a bit more kindness,” Effie explained. “Call it a protest.”

Mr Gold rolled his eyes. “Looks like all that wishing was for nothing, then?”

“Oh, stop being so jealous,” Effie said, stepping up to him. “Elphaba Thropp might not have been the best of friends with Snow White, but Effie Tremaine was a good friend to Mary Margaret and while she still can’t remember who I am, that can’t change. Now, are you coming for lunch or not?”

“Only if you’re paying,” he replied with a grin. 

“Fine, come on, I’m hungry.”

“Well, wait, we don’t all have both legs in full working order, you know!”

Effie waited for him. “Are you coming to the Festival tonight?”

“I might,” he replied, mischievously. “Are you going?”

“Well, I kind of told Mary Margaret I would. Think they’ll sell enough candles?”

“Not if Mary Margaret’s the one selling them,” he replied. “It seems I’ve been replaced as the most hated character in this town, temporarily, of course.”

***  
Elphaba had just found her way back to town and she was just debating whether or not to head straight home, or whether to stop by the Dark Castle first, when a woman almost barged right into her. “Whoa, hey!” she exclaimed. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” said the girl. By the street lamps, Elphaba saw that she was young and very beautiful, with chestnut curls and blue eyes. 

“Oh, that’s ok,” replied Elphaba, ducking her head in the hope that the woman wouldn’t notice her green skin and freak out. A lot of people still did that, even now. “Been to see the fireflies?”

“I would have if I had anyone to see them with,” sighed the beauty. 

“Yeah, I’ve just been up there on my own. My best friend and I used to go every year, but this year, well, something bad happened to him and he’s still getting over it.”

“Oh, what happened?”

“Well, he lost someone close to him, quite tragically.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“Well,” sighed Elphaba, “we used to wish on the fireflies, but I guess this year he doesn’t feel like it’d do any good, bringing back what’s lost, I mean.”

“Sometimes I wonder if people spend too much time wishing,” sighed the beauty. “And not enough time making their wishes come true.”

Elphaba nodded. “You’re probably right. Well, have a good night, anyway.”

“Thanks, but I doubt it. Bye.”

“Bye.”

***

“You’re not going to believe this, Elphie,” said Mr Gold. 

It was the evening and Effie was making her way to the Festival, without Mr Gold, but he had promised to make an appearance later. 

“Hit me,” she replied into her mobile. 

“A certain dwarf wants me to go easy on the fairies’ rent.”

“Seriously? Grumpy wants Nova in this world?”

“It appears so.”

“But she’s a nun here! Oh, damn Regina!”

Mr Gold chuckled. “She’s cunning, remember, always one step ahead of everyone else.”

“Please tell me we’re two steps ahead of her this time, though?”

“Of course, dearie.”

“Good, because you know how-!” Elphaba broke off as suddenly all the street lights went out. “Whoa! Rum, I think we’ve had a blackout!”

“Looks like Snow White might sell some candles after all, then.”

“Was this your doing?”

“Not me, Elphie. But then, we do know a dwarf who happens to be in custodial services.”

Elphaba laughed in delight and hung up the phone. But, what really made her evening was seeing Granny relight Mary Margaret’s candle with a smile of peace and affection clearly visible on her face...


	15. Red-Handed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effie learns what Mr Gold has planned to shake things up for Regina as far as Kathryn's disappearance goes; meanwhile Elphaba Thropp has an encounter with a wolf and begins to question the appearance of young boy Liir...

The town was quiet this morning, Effie reflected as she walked into Granny’s. It was the day after the festival and the electrics were all up and running again, so everyone seemed reasonably cheerful. Granny glanced up at her with apologetic eyes as she walked in and then asked, politely, “The usual, Effie?”

Effie gave her a smile of forgiveness. “Thanks, Granny; and if you’ve any of your lovely chocolate walnut cake I could murder a slice.”

“Take a seat,” Granny smiled, and Effie did so. Just as she did so, however, her mobile rang. Knowing who it would be before she even picked up, she pressed the Receive Call button wondering what he had to tell her that couldn’t wait ‘til later when they were due to meet up. “Hello?”

“Guess who Emma’s just had for questioning down at her office, regarding Kathryn’s disappearance?”

“Oh, please say Regina,” Effie muttered, crossing her fingers for luck. 

“No, Charming,” replied Mr Gold, with the hint of a smirk in his voice.

“Sorry, am I missing something here?” Effie smiled as Ruby brought her coffee and cake, and Ruby returned it before scampering away. “Princess Emma questioning her own father about the disappearance of Princess Abigail; and that’s good because..?”

“Relax, Elphie; it means the plan’s in motion. Once she’s eliminated her father as a suspect, suspicion’s going to point to Mary Margaret.”

“Please tell me you have a way to get her out of this mess?”

“I do, but I’m going to need you to play a part in it too.”

“Sure thing.”

“Well, since Effie Tremaine is such a good friend to Miss Blanchard, you’re going to need to be when she’s called in for questioning. Try and point Emma in Regina’s direction.”

“And then Kathryn’s going to, what, turn up safe and sound?”

“Safe, sound and a little bit traumatised; and that’ll get Snow White off the hook.”

“Ok,” replied Effie, “well, if it brings Regina down, you can count on me, Rum.”

“Thanks, Elphie. By the way,” Mr Gold sounded slightly suspicious now, “do you know anything about that stranger in town? Have you been able to find anything out there?”

Effie popped a forkful of cake into her mouth and looked over at where the said stranger was sitting being waited on by Ruby. “Just that his name’s Augustus Booth and that right now Ruby’s flirting shamelessly with him.”

“Hm,” was all her best friend had to say about that.

Effie stiffened. “What? What is it?”

“Nothing, dearie. Just wondering who he is.”

Effie nodded. “Yeah, you and me both.” 

***

The snow was thick and fast on the ground, and the Wicked Witch of the West stood out like a sore thumb, a combination of black and green against the white. The blizzard wind whipped at her, stinging her skin and trying to snatch her pointed black hat from her head. People who met her probably thought that she had designed the hat herself, but in truth it had been a gift, of sorts, from Glinda, and since it was the first time she had ever been given a gift of any kind from anyone, albeit a gift designed to wound and humiliate, Elphaba felt a special connection with it, and so with apparent determination, she jammed it firmly on her head with one hand, wielding the broomstick like a weapon in the other. 

Behind her trailed a group of misfits, quite literally. Liir, a quiet seven year old boy who had stuck by her for a period of seven years since she had taken refuge in a nunnery; Elphaba assumed that he worked there or was a ward of the place who had taken a liking to her and stuck dutifully by her. He was not a bad boy, she reflected; a little shy, but good and well behaved and wasn’t giving her any trouble by tagging along with her. After Fiyero’s death, there was a period of her life where she remembered nothing for at least a year and she assumed that Liir had popped up somewhere in this time. Behind Liir trailed a swarm of bees that had also decided to accompany them from Oz knew where. And, bringing up the rear was the latest addition to their small party; a little Snow Monkey that Elphaba had called Chistery. Elphaba had saved the little monkey from being trapped on an island surrounded by water; in spite of not being able to swim, she had jumped into the lake, but the lake had frozen over, forming an ice path for her to walk across to the island and rescue Chistery. Liir had watched this as if nothing surprised him. 

“Are we safe?” Liir had to shout it over chattering teeth to be heard.

“What?” Elphaba shouted back over the howling, turning to him. Liir was bundled up in a thick woolly coat to deter the cold but somehow the wind still found its way in. 

“I said are we safe? To be out here in the woods in the depths of winter?” Liir bellowed. 

“We’ll be alright!” Elphaba called back, trying to reassure the boy, whether he was scared or not. “We haven’t got far to go now!”

Even as she said it, she saw Liir freeze in terror. Even the bees hesitated. Chistery made a worried noise and leapt onto Liir’s shoulder. Slowly, Elphaba turned around and stared straight into the eyes of the wolf. 

Both stared into the others eyes, and, with a leaping heart, Elphaba sensed that somehow this was not a wolf, but a Wolf; intelligent but bloodthirsty. “Whoa,” she said, as the Wolf growled at them. “We don’t want any trouble here, Wolf, we’re just passing through.”

The Wolf continued to growl and advance on them and just as Elphaba raised the broomstick like a weapon, the sounds of a hunting party in the distance caused it to start, turn and then whip away through the trees. 

But as Elphaba’s eyes followed the tracks through the snow she saw how they distorted from wolf tracks to human footprints...

***

“I quit!” Ruby snapped to Granny, following a heated argument as she threw down her apron and marched out of the door. 

“Ouch,” Elphaba muttered, finishing her coffee. She hadn’t seen that coming. She got to her feet and was just leaving when Henry ran up to her, looking quite excitable. “Hi, Henry,” Effie smiled at him. 

“Hi! Guess what?” 

“What?”

“I found the book.”

“You did? Great! Where was it?”

“Well, Emma found it in a box under her car, like someone left it there for her to find.”

“Spooky,” Effie mused, folding her arms and wondering whether her best friend had anything to do with this. 

“Henry!” That was Regina close behind him. 

“Oh, and heads up, I think my mom knows who you are,” Henry muttered.

Effie looked up at Regina. “Madame Mayor?”

“Miss Tremaine, I want a word with you,” Regina told her. “Henry, wait inside for me.”

“Bye, Effie,” said Henry, doing as he was told. 

“See you, Henry,” Effie replied, before turning back to Regina. “Ok, what have I done now?”

“I think you know very well,” Regina replied, with a hint of a smirk. “Conspiring with the Dark One against me.”

“Dark One?” Effie put her head on one side. “Is that what people are calling my best friend now? Or are you referring to some online role play game?”

“I know you remember who you are!” Regina snapped. 

“Fair enough,” replied Effie, coolly, stepping up to her. “And I also remember what I’m capable of, Your Majesty. Don’t forget who it was who taught you about magic; and don’t forget who taught him how to channel and control it.”

“It’s not like you can do anything with it in this world,” Regina sneered. 

Effie shrugged. “If I were you, Regina, I’d be worried. After all, the one who can break the curse is in town and she’s not showing any signs of leaving anytime soon. Plus, when there are people like Rum and me as her allies, well, that doesn’t leave you with very much power, does it?”

Regina blanched, visibly, but recovered quickly. “I have leverage over you, Miss Thropp, don’t forget that.”

Effie frowned. “What leverage?”

“Your son. If something unfortunate were to befall him...”

“You leave my son out of this!” Effie snapped. 

“But he’s not your son in this world, Miss Tremaine; so the best way you can protect him is to stay away from him. Have a nice day.” 

With that, Regina turned and swept into the cafe’. Effie felt a tremble of anger run through her. If she still had her magic, she could quite easily lose control and something awful would happen to Regina. 

“Just you wait, Regina,” she whispered. “When the curse is broken, you’ll be the one to pay!”

***

“A werewolf?” Elphaba repeated. “I thought those things were just legends.”

She, Liir, and much to the Dark One’s disgust, Chistery and the bees were now sheltered from the raging winter winds in the Dark Castle. Elphaba hadn’t seen her best friend for ages and after catching up, she had told him what they had seen in the forest. 

“No, they’re real,” Rumplestiltskin insisted over a cup of tea. “Werewolf curses still exist and they’re usually passed down though families.”

“Wow,” Elphaba said, hunching up in her chair, clasping her teacup. She was too bony to curl up properly; and Rumplestiltskin had to admit, since he had last seen her, she seemed to have lost a little more weight. “That one we saw would have killed us if it hadn’t heard that hunting party.”

“Sounds like you had a lucky escape,” Rumplestiltskin agreed. 

Wordlessly they both glanced over at Liir who was asleep in a chair by the fire. Chistery was curled up beside him, making a funny snoring sound. Elphaba sighed. “I wish I knew who he is, Rum. Even he doesn’t seem to know.”

“He reminds me of someone,” her best friend replied. 

She glanced at him, carefully. “Bae?”

“No, someone else.” Rumplestiltskin glanced at her. 

Elphaba realised. “Me?” What he was implying sank in and she shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous! He doesn’t look a thing like me; or Fiyero!”

“And Baelfire was the image of his father?” he countered, wryly. 

Even though what he was saying seemed to fit, after all there was that year of her life she couldn’t recall, Elphaba couldn’t quite believe it. “No, Rum. It can’t be. I wasn’t born for motherhood.”

***

Mr Gold, knowing his best friend as he did, knew that something was troubling her the second she walked into the shop. One quick glance at her face was enough to reveal all. “What’s up?” he asked. “What’s Regina been saying now?”

“She’s been threatening me,” Effie replied.

He straightened up. “What’s she said?”

“She’s been threatening to hurt Liir!” Effie looked so angry she might lose control, and for once Mr Gold thanked the gods that she didn’t have magic. “How dare she? I can’t believe she’s doing this! Isn’t trying to kill off Snow White enough for her anymore? I mean-!”

“Elphie,” said Mr Gold, catching her by the shoulders. “Breathe!”

She took a deep breath and calmed down. “Sorry.”

“Look, Regina can say anything she wants; but she can’t do anything. If something were to happen to Liir, she’d be the prime suspect if you told Emma that she’d be threatening to hurt the boy. She’s not stupid enough to think she’d be able to get away with hurting him after that.”

Effie nodded. “You’re right.”

“Besides, I think one missing person’s enough for her now, and as long as you don’t do anything to push her to the limit, your boy’s safe,” Mr Gold reminded her. 

“But you push her to the limit all the time, Rum,” Effie pointed out. 

He shrugged. “I haven’t got anything left to lose.”


	16. Heart of Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effie doesn't believe Mary Margaret's capable of murder, but Elphaba knows that Regina definitely is. Meanwhile, Emma tried to get some evidence to prove her mother's innocence and Rumplestiltskin manages to bottle True Love...

“This is crazy,” said Mary Margaret. “I would never hurt anyone.”

She was in the police station, having a mug shot taken by Emma. After Ruby had found that heart in a box buried by the toll bridge, it had been sent away to be DNA tested and since it had been found in a box covered with Mary Margaret’s fingerprints, she was now the prime suspect. 

Right on cue, as she had been instructed, Effie came hurrying into the station. “Hey, I heard what happened, are you ok?” she said, rushing to hug Mary Margaret before Emma could protest. 

“Effie!” exclaimed Mary Margaret in relief, hugging her back. “Listen, this is insane. I would never hurt Kathryn!”

“I know,” Effie replied, glancing up at Emma. “You don’t even like killing spiders. Emma, you can’t seriously believe this.”

“I don’t want to,” Emma replied. “But the evidence is there, and I can’t let her off without evidence that she didn’t do it, sorry,” she added to Mary Margaret. 

“Hm.” Effie folded her arms. “That’s not all you have to worry about either.”

“What do you mean?”

“If Mary Margaret didn’t do anything to Kathryn, somebody else did, and we need to figure out who and why.”

“But David and I are the only ones who would have a motive to hurt her,” Mary Margaret quavered. 

“Relax, I wasn’t accusing David. I don’t believe for a second he’d do anything to her.”

“Neither do I,” agreed Emma. 

“But then who would?”asked Mary Margaret. “Kathryn never hurt anyone, as far as I know.”

“Well...” Emma bit her lip and then glanced at Effie. 

Effie laughed. “I know what you’re thinking, Emma, but just because you find my best friend a little bit sinister at times doesn’t make him a suspect. While he could quite happily strangle Regina he wouldn’t think about doing anything Kathryn, after all, he barely knows her.”

“Well, someone in this town must know more than they’re letting on,” Emma said.

“My money’s on Regina,” Effie replied, leaning against the desk. 

“Oh, yeah? How come?” Emma asked. 

“Because she doesn’t like Mary Margaret.”

Mary Margaret nodded. “She and I never really hit it off.”

“And because she can’t stand seeing people happy,” Effie added. 

“So just because of that she’d do something to Kathryn Nolan just to make Mary Margaret suffer?” Emma shook her head. “I don’t know. That seems extreme ever for her.”

“You don’t know her like I do,” Effie replied. “Regina’s not above putting others through hell just to get what she wants.”

***

Elphaba hurried back to her apartment, her heart racing. Flat on her broom, she soared through the skies like some terrible green blizzard. Her senses had just told her that something was wrong, and the last time that had happened, Doctor Dillamond had been murdered. Madame Horrible Morrible could lay all kinds of claims that it was an accident or suicide, but Elphaba knew that it was murder, pure bloody murder. Now she was frightened for the first time in years and as she skidded to a halt, her heart was in her mouth. 

But what could it possibly be that was terrifying her so?

Pushing open the front door, she hurried inside, wielding the broom like a weapon, and feeling that whatever it was that had happened was going to be something of a nasty surprise for her. And she wasn’t wrong. 

Blood was spattered all over the floor of her kitchen as she stepped inside. Elphaba dropped her broom in shock as she stared. The kitchen floor was like a bloodbath. “What..? Who..?”

Then her eyes fell to the familiar red waistcoat that lay slashed upon the floor.

“FIYERO!”

Falling to her knees, Elphaba clawed her way through the sea of blood to the waistcoat and then saw that there was a note pinned to it. It was written in, she realised a second later, red lipstick. 

“I told you never to underestimate me, Witch.”

Elphaba let out a scream of fury that echoed throughout the land. People stopped what they were doing and abruptly covered their ears as her cry carried all the way to Regina’s castle. 

“Music to my ears,” Regina cooed, unknown to Elphaba, as she turned to her guards and their captive. Fiyero glared at her over the top of the gag. He was trussed up with so much rope that he looked like a fly caught by a smirking spider. “Put him in the dungeon,” Regina snapped, and her guards dragged him away. Fiyero struggled but they were too strong for him. Regina smirked again as she went back to her tea. 

Seconds later, when Fiyero was tucked out of her sight, Elphaba burst through the castle doors with so much force that they flew off their hinges. 

“You bitch!” she screamed at Regina, and in her fury she lost control and sent a rippling wave of energy towards the Queen. Regina blocked it with her own magic and knocked Elphaba to the ground. “I warned you not to mess with me, Elphaba.”

“Don’t patronise me! If it weren’t for me and Rum, you’d have no power!” Elphaba snarled, struggling to her feet. Regina laughed, cruelly. Elphaba wanted to hurt her, to kill her even, but she couldn’t. Her spirit was broken and Regina knew it. “Why?” she asked, weakly. “Why?”

“Why should the Wicked Witch of the West have happiness and love and I have nothing?” Regina snarled. 

Elphaba felt her legs begin to buckle and she quickly mounted her broom to keep from falling down. Glaring at Regina with glassy eyelids, she whispered “If you think this will keep me from trying to stop you, it won’t. You will fall, Regina, if it’s the last thing I ever do.”

***

Emma led Mary Margaret to the interrogation room. “Do you need me?” Effie asked. “As an impartial third party?”

Emma sighed. “Afraid we’ve already got one.”

Mary Margaret glanced at her. “Regina?”

“She is the Mayor,” Emma pointed out. 

“Fine, well, do you want an impartial fourth party because I don’t think Regina’s going to be very impartial as far as Mary Margaret’s concerned,” Effie replied. 

Emma glanced at Regina and then made a quick decision. “It’s unorthodox, but go right ahead.”

“Hello, Miss Blanchard,” smirked Regina, and then her smile faded when she saw Effie. “And what’s she doing here?”

“She’s sitting in as an impartial fourth party,” Emma replied. 

“That’s in no way...”

“Orthodox, I know,” Emma finished. 

“But I’m afraid I insisted on it,” Effie replied, coolly, sliding into a seat beside Regina. 

“Regina scowled. “Fine.”

Emma switched on the tape recorder. “The heart was found buried near the old Toll Bridge. It had been cut out by what appears to be a hunting knife. Have you ever been to that bridge before?”

“Yes, many times,” replied Mary Margaret. “It’s where David and I liked to meet.”

“And, you met there… For what purpose?”

“We were having an affair. I’m not proud of what happened, and I’m sorry. But that doesn’t change the fact that I did not kill Kathryn.”

Emma took the jewelry box out of a cabinet and placed it on the table in front of Mary Margaret. “Have you ever seen this before?” she asked.

Mary Margaret frowned. “Yes, it’s my jewelry box.”

That, thought Effie, would explain the fingerprints.

“That’s what we found the heart in,” Emma told her.

“Don’t you see what’s happening here?” cried Mary Margaret. “Someone stole that box and put the heart in it. I didn’t have anything to do with it. I’m innocent!”

“Miss Blanchard, it’s okay,” Regina cut in, smoothly. “I know what you’re going through. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. To be publicly humiliated. It put me in a very dark place. Changed me. I can only imagine what losing David Nolan did to you.”

“But, I haven’t changed,” Mary Margaret stammered. Effie quickly got to her feet and hugged her. “I’m still the same person I’ve always been – a good person. I did not do this.”

“Can I speak to you in the hallway, please?” Emma said to Regina.

They left the room. Effie gave Mary Margaret a pat. “It’s going to be okay, you know. We’ll find who really did this.”

Then she followed Emma and Regina in time to hear Regina say “She is a woman who’s had her heart broken, and that… That can make you do unspeakable things.”

“Well, you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, Madame Mayor?” Effie replied, folding her arms.

“You can stay out of this, Miss Tremaine, it doesn’t concern you,” Regina snapped. 

“Perhaps, but Mary Margaret’s my friend and I want to catch whoever’s framing her.”

“So you believe this is a frame up?”

“Naturally, and a pretty shoddy one at that.”

“What do you mean?” asked Emma. 

“Think about it. Mary Margaret might have a possible motive for murder, but the whole town knew that. So, how could she possibly think she’d get away with it when she’d clearly be one of the two chief suspects? That makes about as much sense as a bag of hedgehogs.”

“Fancy yourself as a detective now, do you, Miss Tremaine?” Regina sneered. “Well, I suggest you get back to your own job and leave this to Miss Swan.”

Effie shrugged, carelessly. “Fine, I will I know you hate admitting that I’m right, Madame Mayor.”

The second she was out of earshot, Effie made a phone call. “All set! Your move!”

***

Elphaba skidded to a halt in the upper room of the Dark Castle. “You could just use the door, you know,” Rumplestiltskin quipped, busy bottling something. 

She couldn’t help grinning. It had been seven years since Fiyero’s death and it was the first time that Rumplestiltskin had been able to make her smile in a long time. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“So, are you going to stop grinning like a Cheshire Cat and tell me what it is you’ve discovered?” he asked. 

Elphaba fixed her face into a serious expression. “That potion we gave Snow White has removed all the love in her heart and she wants to kill the Queen.”

“Exactly the way I planned it,” Rumplestiltskin replied, holding up the bottle containing the strand of Snow White’s hair. “Get ready to hand me a spell, Elphie.”

She scowled at him. “We’ll see. Charming isn’t here yet, don’t forget.”

“He will be, dearie, trust me. He will be.”

***

“A knife in the heating vent?” Effie repeated when Emma told her and Mary Margaret, who was in a cell, what she had found. “I expected Regina to do better than that; maybe I’m underestimating her.”

“We don’t know it’s Regina,” Emma reminded her. “That’s just your suspicion.”

“But, Emma, I don’t even know where the heating vent in my bedroom is,” Mary Margaret told her.

“Well, someone did, and they put a hunting knife in there. I checked for signs of a break in, but there weren’t any.”

“You don’t believe me.”

“Honey, of course we do,” Effie said. 

Emma nodded. “But what we think doesn’t matter. The evidence is piling up by the hour.”

Mary Margaret nodded. “Okay, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying, you should think about hiring a lawyer.”

“ An excellent idea.”

Emma turned. “Mr. Gold. What are you doing here?”

“Offering my legal services,” he replied. 

Effie nodded. “I called him. Hey, I wasn’t about to let you guys do this alone.”

“You’re a lawyer?” Emma asked.

He grinned at her. “Ever wondered why I was so adept at contracts? I’ve been following the details of your case, Miss Blanchard. And I think you’d be well-advised to bring me on as your counsel.”

“And why is that?” Mary Margaret asked. 

“Well, because the Sheriff had me arrested for nearly beating a man to death, and I managed to persuade the judge to drop the charges.”

“Asserting your influence isn’t what’s needed here,” Emma said. “We need to find the truth.”

“Exerting influence may be exactly what’s needed here,” Mr Gold replied. 

“What’s needed here, is for me to do my job,” Emma argued. 

“Well, no one’s stopping you,” Mr Gold replied. “I’m only here to help.”

“Enough,” Mary Margaret said. “Please go.”

“You heard her,” Emma said. 

“No.” Mary Margaret turned to her. “I was talking to you. Oh, Emma, he’s right. I need help. And you need to do your job, or else I’m screwed. So, just please – do your job the best you can, and you’ll prove me innocent. Until you do, I need some practical help.”

Mr Gold nodded. “Trust me. This is in Miss Blanchard’s best interests.”

Emma shrugged. “Good luck, Mary Margaret. I hope your best interests are what he’s looking out for.”

Effie followed her out. “She’ll get no better lawyer in this town than him, Emma. She’s in good hands.”

“I’ll pretend I believe you,” Emma muttered, rubbing her forehead. 

Effie smiled. “Look, I don’t blame you for not trusting him. It is hard. But you trust me, right?”

Emma looked up at her. “I guess.”

“Then you have to believe me when I say that Mr Gold’s completely trustworthy. He’s just a little unreliable in some areas.” Emma raised an eyebrow and Effie grinned. “But not where legal matters like this are concerned.”

***

“Rumplestiltskin! Show yourself!”

“Still dressing like a prince, I see,” Rumplestiltskin replied, appearing behind him. “Even though you ran away from the life I gave you. How’s that for gratitude?”

“You gave me a prison sentence.”

“Yeah, one that you’ve now skirted. Careful, dearie – King George is a vengeful man.”

Elphaba hopped down the stairs. “Charming! Long time no see!”

“Wicked Witch of the West?” Charming exclaimed in surprise.

Rumplestiltskin scowled. “She has a name, dearie. It’s Elphaba.”

“So you’re working for him now?” Charming said. 

Elphaba laughed. “Working for the Dark One? Please! We’re partners!”

“Well, I’m here about Snow. Rumour has it, she’s after the Queen and she came to you for help.”

“Yes, indeed,” Rumplestiltskin replied, mischievously.

“What did you do to her?” Charming drew his sword.

“What did I do to her?” Rumplestiltskin repeated. “You mean, what did you do to her. You caused her pain. Without that pain, she would never have drank my potion to forget about you. That’s what changed her.”

“Undo the potion. All magic can be broken.”

“With true love,” Elphaba said. 

“So, that’s it then? True love’s kiss will awaken her?”

“Most certainly. But, it’s going to be hard to kiss her when you don’t know where she is.”

“Name your price.”

Rumplestiltskin considered. “How about…your cloak?”

“My cloak?” Charming plucked at it. “Why would you want my cloak?”

“It’s draughty in here,” Rumplestiltskin replied, simply.

Charming took off his cloak and placed it on the table.

“You should leave it there,” Elphaba joked. “It makes a good tablecloth!”

“So, where is she?” Charming asked.   
“ On her way to the Queen’s Highway,” Rumplestiltskin replied, plucking a map from thin air. “This is the route she’s taking, but you better be quick. Because, if she kills the Queen, she becomes as evil as the woman whose life she takes.”

“She could never become that evil.”

“Evil isn’t born, dearie – it’s made. If Snow starts down that road, you’ll never get her back.”

***

“Tea,” Effie said placing the cup on the counter. 

“Thank you,” Mr Gold replied, not lifting his eyes from the ledge in front of him.

It was the next morning and he had just finished informing Effie about what was about to happen with Mary Margaret and Regina. Effie had to admit it was a well-thought-out plan, but then her best friend had always been good at that.

“Mr. Gold?” said a voice, and Emma walked into the room. She smiled at Effie. “Hi, Effie.”

“Hi,” Effie replied, leaning against the counter.

“What can I do for you, Miss Swan?” Mr Gold asked, closing the ledger. “Any developments in the case I should be aware of?”

“Yes. Regina set her up.”

“And this surprises you?” Mr Gold asked her.

Effie grinned. “Told you so!”

“Well, show me your evidence, and we’ll get this over with immediately.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing. There isn’t any. Anything that’s court-worthy. But I know it now.”

“Look who’s suddenly become a woman of faith. Why are you here, Miss Swan? To spin conspiracy theories?”

“I need help.” Emma admitted.

Mr. Gold raised an eyebrow. “From me?”

“Every time I’ve gone up against Regina, I’ve lost. Except for once, when I became Sheriff. When you helped.”

“As I recall, you don’t exactly approve of my methods.”

“I approve of your results. And this time, I have something more important than a job. I need to save my friend.”

“Now you’re talking,” Effie said, putting her cup on the counter.

Mr. Gold nodded. “And you’re willing to go as far as it takes?”  
“Farther.”  
Mr. Gold grinned. “Now we’re talking. Fear not, Miss Swan. Regina may be powerful, but something tells me you’re more powerful than you know.”

***

“Eat your words, Elphaba Thropp,” Rumplestiltskin said, grinning in manic glee. “I’ve done it.”

Elphaba stared at the two twisted strands of hair in the bottle marked “True Love.” “I don’t believe it,” she whispered. “You have done it.”

“I told you I would,” he replied. “You owe me one spell To Call The Lost Forward.”


	17. Hat Trick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effie worries about Mary Margaret whilst Elphaba Thropp has a swap to make with the Queen of Hearts down in Wonderland...

The next day, Emma was met at the station by Mr Gold, and much to her surprise, Effie Tremaine. “Hey,” she greeted her, one eyebrow raised. “You here to offer victim support?”

“No, I’m here to offer coffee,” Effie replied, holding out the cardboard tray containing four cups of coffee. “I thought we could all use a little perk up.”

Together they went into the station to find Henry, sitting on a bench and reading his fairytale book, just outside the office. 

“Henry. What are you doing here?” asked Emma, surprised. 

“I came to congratulate you,” Henry replied, hopping up from the bench. 

“For what?”

“Your genius plan.”

“And what plan’s that, Henry?” Mr Gold interjected. Henry didn’t answer. “Right,” Mr Gold muttered, walking into the room where Mary Margaret’s empty cell sat. “I told you she’d take the key, dearie,” he muttered to Effie, who had followed him. 

“Alright, so I owe you a drink,” she muttered back. 

Mr. Gold raised his voice. “Sheriff, could you join me, please?”

Emma and Henry came into the room and stared at the empty cell before them. “Henry, what did you do?” asked Emma. 

“Nothing,” Henry insisted. “She was gone when I got here.”  
“But she didn’t do it,” Effie said, playing her part well. “Why would she run?”

“People run when they’re scared, Effie,” Mr Gold replied, turning to Emma. “Her arraignment’s tomorrow. If she’s not there…”

“She’s a fugitive,” Emma finished. “Doesn’t matter if she’s convicted for Kathryn or not – she’s screwed. I have to go find her before someone notices she’s missing.”

“Oh, you mean Regina?” Mr Gold responded.

“The arraignment’s at eight A.M. I’m sure she’ll be here bright and early to celebrate her victory.”

“Well, you have until eight A.M., then.”

“Uh, what about me? How can I help?” Henry cut in. 

“Go home.” Emma replied. 

“Emma, if she leaves Storybrooke…”

“Not now, Henry. Come on.”

“Miss Swan,” Mr Gold said, patiently. “I know time is of the essence, but if Miss Blanchard doesn’t return… Her future’s in jeopardy. And if you’re caught helping her, so is yours.”

“I don’t care. I’d rather lose my job than my friend.”

Effie nodded. “Meanwhile, we’d better make sure Regina doesn’t find out that Mary Margaret’s gone.”

Emma swept from the room, escorting Henry with her. “That was quick thinking on your part,” Mr Gold observed. 

Effie smiled. “Thanks. Question is, what happens next?”

“Just a little hat trick, dearie.”

Effie realised what he was getting at. “Jefferson? Rum, you can’t seriously have him mixed up in this; he’s mental!”

“I know, but there’s only you, me and Regina that knows why, Elphie. Anyway, if we can get him on our side...”

“We’re one step closer to defeating Regina for good.”

***

Elphaba grimaced as she pulled her cloak closer around her and stepped over a patch of mushrooms. She could hear flowers chattering and giggling in a clump, probably about her. She stopped and listened intently. 

“Look at her skin! Doesn’t she just look like a weed to you?”

“A crocodile, I was thinking! Or a frog!”

“Oh, how common and vulgar!”

“I heard that!” Elphaba snapped, causing them all to shush and hush at once. “And if you carry on like that, I’ll pick you all and put you in a vase of pond water!”

Oz was an irritating enough place to live, but Wonderland made Oz look tame. Passing by a blue caterpillar that was smoking a hookah and blowing out smoke rings, Elphaba wafted the smoke away with her hand and continued on her way.

She was met at the castle by two of the guards and the Knave of Hearts. “What business have you here?” he asked, stiffly. 

“I wish to see the Queen of Hearts,” Elphaba replied. 

“What for?”

“That’s between me and her. Now, are you going to let me in or am I going to have to turn you into tin men?”

That did it. The Knave turned briskly and led her into the castle. The Queen of Hearts sat with her face veiled and a speaking tube protruding from the veil. The Knave took the other end of the tube and held it to his hear. “What are you doing here?” he asked for the Queen.

“I want back what you took,” Elphaba replied. 

“We had a deal,” the Knave said. “Have you brought me what I desire?”

“Yes,” replied Elphaba, and she held up the handwritten spell she had copied from memory after seeing it in the Grimmerie so many times before. “The spell to summon the Queen-I mean Regina’s father here with you, as promised.” She handed it, deftly to the Knave. 

The Queen of Hearts clicked her fingers and a servant promptly hurried forwards with the Grimmerie. “I could not read it,” she declared through the Knave. 

“Just as well,” Elphaba muttered. “No good can come from that spell, you now, Cora.”

The Knave stiffened. “You will address the Queen as Your Majesty!”

“Please!” Elphaba tossed her head. “She’s farm stock; lower class than I am!”

“Off with her head!” snapped the Knave for the Queen. 

Elphaba promptly leapt upon her broomstick and zoomed away. The guards ran after her, but she was out of Wonderland before they had even reached the looking glass.

***

Effie didn’t sleep at all that night; worrying about Emma and Mary Margaret and Jefferson, in spite of her best friend’s reassurances that everything was going to be alright. She had know Jefferson back before he became the Mad Hatter. He was a nice enough chap, but since losing his mind, he had become just about as tricky a person as Mr Gold, and Effie wasn’t entirely sure whether or not it was a good idea to trust him with anything; Jefferson, that is, not Mr Gold. 

That afternoon, she’d had an encounter with David Nolan, while she had been out buying groceries. 

“How come you haven’t been to work much recently?” he asked her. 

“I told the boss I needed some time off,” Effie replied.

“Yeah, but how come? I thought you loved animals.”

“I do. But I also love my friends, and since Mary Margaret’s one of them, I need to be there for her.”

David took a deep breath. “Oh.”

“Is that all you can say? Oh.” Effie snapped. “She’s in prison because people think she did something to Kathryn! She needs all the support she can get! I thought you liked her!”

“I do! But Kathryn’s my wife-!”

“You can’t seriously believe that Mary Margaret would harm her?”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” David muttered, turning away to leave. 

“Well, I believe she’s innocent,” Effie told him, brushing past him. “Even if no one else does.”

Mr Gold called her in the small hours of the morning as she was making a cup of coffee. “I told you so,” was the first thing he said when she answered. 

“What? Snow’s back?”

“Yup! Back in her cell, safe and sound. Thought you’d like to know.”

“I’m on my way over,” Effie gabbled, rushing down her coffee. Seconds later, she was at the police station. 

“Effie!” exclaimed Mary Margaret, getting to her feet. 

Effie couldn’t hug her through the bars but she patted her hand. “God, I’ve been worried about you, girl! I’ve barely slept!”

“Sorry,” Mary Margaret grinned, guiltily. 

“That would explain why you look so terrible,” Mr Gold quipped. 

She scowled at him. “That’s my excuse, what’s yours?”

When Regina showed up, bright and early, for the arraignment, she was shocked to find Mary Margaret back in her cell, reading the Mirror, with Effie standing to one side, drinking coffee, and Mr Gold on the other, looking completely relaxed. 

“Madame Mayor,” Mary Margaret greeted her, calmly. 

“Good morning,” Regina replied, recovering from the shock. 

“Excuse me, but my client is not having any visitors,” Mr Gold put in.

Regina glanced at Effie. “Then what’s she doing here?”

“Trying to stay awake,” Effie replied, slightly groggily. Mary Margaret giggled and went back to her paper.

“She dropped by to bring me coffee,” Mr Gold replied. “And support. I’ll see you out.”

Effie followed them out into the hall. 

“What is she doing back here?” Regina hissed, glowering at them. 

“She came back,” Mr Gold replied, simply.

“You said this was going to work. That she’d take the key, that she’d go.”

“She did,” Effie replied. “Saw the empty cell myself.”

“But, it seems that Miss Swan is rather more resourceful than we thought,” Mr Gold replied. “Fear not, Your Majesty. Miss Blanchard is still guilty of murder. You may yet get what you want.”

“Oh, I better,” Regina snapped. “The only reason I made a deal with you, Gold, is because I wanted results.”

“And results you shall have. See you at the arraignment.”

Regina stalked off. Effie turned to him. “If there’s one thing I love more than watching you get the better of Regina, it’s pretending to be on her side and then betraying her at the last minute.”

Mr Gold grinned at her. “I take it you’re sticking around for the arraignment?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”


	18. The Stable Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba and Rumplestiltskin plan to make Regina the one to activate the curse whilst in Storybrooke, Mr Gold and Effie Tremaine try to help Mary Margaret...

One Week Ago:

“Remembrance of things past?”

Regina scowled and turned. “What do you want?”

“I need a favour,” Mr Gold replied, casually.

“You need a favour from me?”

“Well, as you know, there are battery charges against me…pending. I really don’t relish the thought of spending any more time locked up in a cage. Now, someone with your influence can make the D.A. suddenly realize what a flimsy case they have. Isn’t that right…your Majesty?”

“What do I get out of it?”

“Help, with your Mary Margaret problem. You see, I’ve noticed that no matter how hard you seem to try to stop them, she and her ‘charming’ friend just keep finding ways to be together.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“If you want to inflict pain… Then you must inflict pain. If something tragic were to happen to David’s wife, and if Mary Margaret should take the blame-”

“She’d be ruined.”

“And you’d have your victory, at last.”

“A trial could be very messy.”

“A trial? Who said anything about a trial? Now, once Miss Blanchard has been incarcerated, you can plant one of your lovely skeleton keys in her cell. And, once she tries to leave Storybrooke, well… We all know what happens to people who attempt to leave town.”

“Give me one good reason why I should trust you.”

“Because I always honour my agreements. Do we have a deal?”

***  
Effie was out walking the dogs when her mobile rang. She knew who it would be before she even answered it. Only one person usually got in touch with her. “Hey,” she said, carefully, wondering what sort of mood her best friend was in.

“How do you fancy helping me get the better of Regina?”

Oh. That kind.

“Oh, yeah?” Effie paused as a couple of the dogs sniffed a dandelion at the side of the road. Ruby waved at her from the window of Granny’s opposite as she served coffee to Archie and Marco. Effie waved back. “How?”

“By incarcerating Snow White for a murder she didn’t commit and then tracing all the evidence back to Regina?”

“Sounds tempting. I’m in.”

***  
“Ok,” Elphaba said, wrinkling her nose to stop fairy dust getting up it. “A curse to end all curses. How are we gonna do that?”

“I was hoping you’d tell me,” Rumplestiltskin muttered, head in his hands. 

Elphaba put down the pot she was holding and turned to face him, not entirely sure of how to break the bad news to him. “Well, there is a curse that can be enacted.”

His head jerked up. “There is?”

Elphaba bit her lip. “When I was doing Sorcery back at Shiz, Madame Horrible Morrible told me of a curse that could end all curses, it’s an ancient one but if you’re able to find the spell, it’s still...enactable.”

Rumplestiltskin scowled. “So now we have to find a bloody spell?” In his annoyance, he sent a stool flying into the empty fire grate, with magic. Elphaba blinked as it hit the ground. Rumplestiltskin muttered a word that Elphaba didn’t much care to remember. 

“Will you listen?” she snapped. “Most copies of the curse have been destroyed because people were afraid it was too evil, but,” she added, seeing Rumplestiltskin’s mood was in no way improving, “the Grimmerie has a copy of it, right in the back.” 

Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling there’s another “but” coming, Elphie?”

In answer to his question, Elphaba shoved the Grimmerie under his nose. “Take a look-see.”

Rumplestiltskin scanned the final line of the curse. “It needs a heart to be enacted?”

“Not just any heart,” Elphaba told him. “Whoever enacts the curse must use the heart of the thing they love most. And for us, well, that’d be a problem. You’d never be able to bring yourself to kill Bae even if he was back here, and I’d never be able to do that to anyone I loved either. That’s why this is a curse to end all curses. We need to find someone to enact it for us; someone so corruptly evil that they’d be prepared to rip out the heart of whatever they love the most in order to enact it. But where are we going to find someone like that?”

Rumplestiltskin smiled, slyly. “I may have a way, dearie...”

***

“A pretrial interview with the prosecution?” Emma folded her arms. “Explain to me how that is a good idea.”

“The D.A. merely wishes to ask Miss Blanchard a few questions,” Mr Gold sighed. Effie could see something of an argument about to blow out, so she kept quiet, out of fear she’d make things worse.

“She’s done answering questions,” snapped Emma. “And why are we kissing up to the D.A.? Why aren’t we going after Regina? She’s the one who’s setting up Mary Margaret.”

“And what proof do we have of that, Sheriff? Just because you found the Mayor’s skeleton key in the cell, doesn’t mean we can prove she put it there.”

Effie felt that now was a good time to venture her opinion. “He’s right. She could manipulate people into believing that Mary Margaret had someone else give it to her so she could escape. She’s pretty good at things like that.”

Emma took a deep breath and nodded. “So, what’s your plan?”

“I believe our best chance of winning this case is to employ our most valuable asset,” Mr Gold replied.

“What’s that?” asked Mary Margaret, finally speaking up. 

“Well, that’s you, dear,” Mr Gold replied, turning to her. “A sweet, kind, elementary school teacher. Doesn’t exactly fit the prototype of a killer, now, does it?”

“That’s how you’re going to get her acquitted?” Emma almost laughed. “By using her personality?”

“Perception is everything, Miss Swan – not just in the courtroom, but in life,” Mr Gold replied, smoothly. Effie had to admire his confidence. “As such, I’m sure you can imagine how the jury would perceive Miss Blanchard, if she agreed to cooperate with the District Attorney. These things engender trust. It shows the jury she’s at least trying-”

Sidney walked in at that moment, much to everyone’s surprise, carrying a bunch of flowers. 

“Emma? Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt. I just, uh, came by to drop these off. I thought they might brighten the place up.”

“Flowers?” Effie raised her eyebrows. “Really didn’t think they were your forte, Sidney?”

He smiled. “I think there’s a lot you don’t know about me, Miss Tremaine.”

He went into Emma’s office to set the vase down. Emma joined him.

“I don’t trust him,” Effie muttered. “He’s up to something.”

“Bound to be,” Mr Gold muttered back. “But we can’t do anything about that just yet, trust me.”

“Don’t I always?” she sighed.

Sidney left and Emma returned to the three of them.

“I’m going to do it,” Mary Margaret said, nodding. “I’m going to talk to the D.A.”

“Are you sure?” Emma asked. 

She nodded. “Mr. Gold’s right. I know I have nothing to hide, but no one else does. I need to let people see me for who I am.”

Albert Spencer, the D.A and Regina entered at that point.

“Excellent decision, Miss Blanchard,” Spencer said. “My name is Spencer. I’m the District Attorney. Shall we begin?”

“Yeah,” Mary Margaret nodded.

Effie glanced at Mr Gold. King George persecuting the woman who had turned his adopted son’s head, and heart he believed, to stubborn harshness? This day just got better and better.

In the interrogation room, Mary Margaret, Mr. Gold, and Albert sat; two looking very confident, and one looking rather nervous. Regina, Emma and Effie stood behind the large window, watching and listening. 

“After she learned about your affair, Mrs Nolan, the deceased, came to your school to confront you. Is that correct?” Spencer said.

Mary Margaret nodded. “She was hurt, and she felt betrayed.”

“She struck you… In the face, was it?”

“Yes, but-”

“That must’ve made you angry,” Spencer prompted.

“You… You don’t have to answer that,” Mr Gold put in.

“No, it’s okay,” Mary Margaret insisted. “I was not angry. I was sorry for all the pain I had caused her.”

“Miss Blanchard, this is not a courtroom,” Spencer reminded her. “I’m not here to judge you. You can be honest with me.”

“Shall we end this?” Mr Gold prompted, sensing that Spencer had them at every which way.

“I am being honest with you,” Mary Margaret insisted, confused.

Effie saw Regina’s smile and so badly wanted to hit her...but not when Emma was Sheriff.

“The wife of the man you loved humiliated you in a public forum. Surely, you must have felt some anger towards Kathryn?” Spencer provoked. 

“Yes, I was angry-”

“And did you ever think about acting upon that anger?”

“Of course not.”

“I have a hard time believing that.”

“Wh… Why?” Mary Margaret stammered.

“Because you wanted Kathryn Nolan gone.”

“I never said that.”

Effie shot her best friend a desperate look. 

“Alright,” Mr Gold cut in. “My client is answering no more questions for the day.”

“Your client agreed to this interview because she claimed she had nothing to hide,” Spencer replied, in a clipped tone.

“I don’t have anything to hide,” Mary Margaret insisted.

“Then, what is your answer? You wanted Kathryn gone, didn’t you?”

“No.”

“Even after she tried to keep you and David apart? After she slapped you in public? After she made you a pariah in your own town?”

“Yes, of course I wanted her gone. “ Mary Margaret sprang to her feet. Mr Gold groaned inwardly. “She was the only thing keeping us apart. So, yeah, I wanted her gone. Is that what you want to hear?”

Effie looked at her feet. It was too late. Mary Margaret had let him get to her; she had risen to the bait. Unless Mr Gold put his plan into operation soon, Snow White would be set down as a murderer.

***

“Ok, how exactly are we going to use Cora’s daughter to enact this curse?” Elphaba asked.

It was the fifty sixth time she’d asked in the space of about twenty or so years and she was hoping that this time her best friend might have an answer for her. 

“I’ve been watching the young Regina,” Rumplestiltskin replied with a smooth purr. “She is in love, with a young stable lad named Daniel, but of course that’ll never last once her mother finds out about it...”

“So, she’ll want to learn magic...” Elphaba said, slowly piecing together what he was getting at, “to get back at Cora and then we can corrupt her...and enact the spell! Rumplestiltskin, that is such a load of sheer genius!”

Rumplestiltskin giggled. “I thought you’d like it, dearie! Of course, it’ll take some time...”

“We’ve waited this long,” Elphaba pointed out.

Rumplestiltskin glanced at her. He wondered, as he did countless times, why she had chosen to stick by him. “You know, you don’t have to do this, Elphie. As long as you stick by my, your reputation gets tarnished.”

“I was the Wicked Witch of the West before you were the Dark One, Rum,” Elphaba reminded him. “Besides, I love Bae just as much as you do, so I’m going to do whatever it takes for us to find him.” Rumplestiltskin raised an eyebrow and she grinned. “Well, apart from rip out a heart from someone I care about.”

He nodded. “Thanks, Elphie.”

“We’re a team, remember? Forever.”

“Forever.”

***

Tough as she was, even Effie didn’t have the heart to watch Mar Margaret being slapped in handcuffs. She had simply cut and run outside to have a cry. 

“Well, well,” sneered Regina, coolly, as she passed by. “Looks like she did it after all.”

Effie scowled. “You know who really did it, Regina.”

“Yes, I do, and now she’s behind bars.”

Regina swept off as Mr Gold rejoined his best friend outside. “Very convincing tears, Elphie,” he smiled.

Effie laughed, pulling herself together again. “I always knew I should have taken up acting rather than Sorcery! Now will you please release Kathryn Nolan before something else bad happens to Snow White?”

“No sooner said than done, dearie,” he replied, pulling out his mobile phone. “No sooner said than done.”


	19. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr Gold and Effie try to find out some more about the stranger August Booth as the rest of the town revels in Mary Margaret's release. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, Elphaba despairs that she's losing her best friend once and for all...

Effie found herself woken by a very hungry Chistery leaping onto her bed and chattering. With a smile, she dragged herself out of bed and went to feed him. No sooner had she done that then the telephone rang. 

“Hello?” she answered, with a yawn. 

“Just woken up?”

“What makes you say that?” she teased. 

Mr Gold chuckled. “I know you too well. Listen, Elphie-”

“Mm?” Effie went about making coffee as she listened. 

“What do you know about this newcomer, August Booth?”

Effie shrugged. “Not a lot. Just that he’s a writer, has a motorbike and likes flirting with Ruby. Why?”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Yeah? How come?”

“He snuck into my shop just now, around the back. I think he sent Henry in as a distraction.”

“Well, what could he want from your shop?”

“No idea. You don’t know who he was in our world?”

“No, I honestly can’t say. I don’t think I ever saw him there. Is he even from our world?”

“Has to be, Elphie. Everyone’s connected in this curse.”

“Ok, well, I know he’s sort of friendly with Emma, want me to keep an eye on him?”

“That would rather put my mind at ease.”

“Ok, well, do me a favour.”

“I don’t do-”

“Fine,” Effie sighed, “a deal then. I keep an eye on him and you don’t do anything stupid OR extreme? Agreed?”

“Agreed. See you later.”

Effie got on with her breakfast, noting that she had several things to do today. For one, Effie Tremaine had to remind the town how friendly she was by visiting Kathryn in hospital, and making sure that Whale took care of her. Then there was trying to point Emma in the direction of Sydney Glass as the enemy, as well as getting a Welcome Home present for Mary Margaret and then also keeping an eye on this August Booth, whoever he was. 

***

Elphaba sighed as she took off her black veil and gloves that hide her skin colour. Being in hiding as the Wicked Witch of the West wasn’t easy. She went into the living room of her secret apartment. Chistery was playing with something on the floor. 

“What have you got there?” Elphaba asked, picking it up. It was a letter, in a rather clumsy, sprawly hand, addressed to Aunty E. Apartment 7, Emerald City. Heart leaping, Elphaba slit the envelope and pulled out a folded scrap of parchment. 

“Dear Aunty Elphie,” the letter ran, “please, you’ve got to do something about Papa. He’s getting worse with magic. Help. Bae.”

Folding up the letter, Elphaba picked up her broomstick. “Sorry, Chistery, I can’t take you with me,” she insisted, before mounting the broom and taking to the skies. 

Outside their small cottage, Baelfire was standing, looking out for her. Upon seeing her, he waved, frantically and then rushed towards her, throwing his skinny arms around her middle as she landed, almost knocking her over. “Steady, Bae,” Elphaba half-laughed. She patted his shoulder, her tone serious now. “What’s he done now?”

“Well, I was just playing outside with the boys and I got knocked down by a cart.” Baelfire rolled up his trouser leg to show her the mark. “It was my fault; I shouldn’t have been in the road, but-”

Elphaba winced. “Another snail squashing?”

Baelfire nodded. Elphaba sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I’ll have a word with him.”

“Wasn’t expecting you, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin said, without turning around as she stepped into the cottage. 

“Can we talk?”

“I was under the impression that’s what we are doing.” He turned to her. “There was no need for Bae to call you.”

“No need?” Elphaba folded her arms. “He’s terrified of you becoming the Dark One. No child wants their parent to turn out like that.”

“If I don’t have magic, Elphie, how can I protect him?”

“You did a good job of it before you had magic!”

He scoffed. “Running away like a coward all the time?”

“Running away doesn’t make you a coward,” Elphaba replied. “Being afraid to admit to your own faults makes you a coward.”

“What are you implying?”

“Rum, Bae doesn’t care about being protected. All he wants is his Papa back.” Elphaba stepped up to him. “Hasn’t he been through enough?”

Rumplestiltskin looked away from her. “And tell me how I should get rid of this magic, Elphaba. Should I kill myself with my own dagger?”

“Oh, there’s got to be a way,” sighed Elphaba. “There’s always a way to break curses. The question is, would you? Would you give up magic for Bae’s sake?”

“If there’s a way without using the dagger, then yes.”

***

“What’ve you found out?” Mr Gold muttered to Effie as she joined him. They were inside Mary Margaret’s appartment, along with most of the citizens of Storybrooke, celebrating her return. After hugging her friend and giving her the present and card she had picked out, Effie had joined her best friend in a lone corner to watch August Booth, who was sitting beside Henry. 

“Not a lot,” she replied. Shadowing a person around Storybrooke wasn’t easy, but she had managed to gather a few pieces of information here and there. “He’s travelled a lot, probably to find Storybrooke; the question is why wasn’t he here when the curse hit?”

“A few people weren’t,” Mr Gold muttered back. 

Effie hesitated. “You don’t think he could be...do you?”

He glanced at her. “I don’t know, Elphie. I don’t even know what he’d look like after so long.”

“Want me to strike up a conversation with him?”

“If you’d be so good.”

Effie stepped up to them. “Hi, Henry,” she grinned, ruffling his hair and glancing at the wrapped baox beside him. “Is that for Mary Margaret?”

“Yeah,” the ten year old grinned, “from me and the kids at school.” He lowered his voice and added “It’s a bell.”

“Of course,” Effie smiled at August. “She does like them.”

“Why don’t you go give it to her?” August suggested to Henry.

“Ok.” The second he was out of earshot, August turned to Effie. “We haven’t met yet, have we? August Booth.”

“Effie Tremaine.”

“Yeah, you’re a friend of Mr Gold’s, aren’t you?”

Effie smiled. “If we’re dealing in home truths, I’m his only friend.”

If August Booth was who she suspected he might be, then he was doing a very good job of hiding it, although Effie could understand why he would. Casually, she said “So, Emma tells me you’re a writer. Would you have written anything I’d have read?”

August laughed. “I doubt it. I’m not published yet.”

“Oh! Struggling writer. Got it.”

“Yeah, I came here for some sea air,” August stretched, “little bit of inspiration.”

“You didn’t get any from your travels?”

“Who told you I was a traveler?”

“Ruby mentioned it the other day when I was in Granny’s.”

“So, you’ve been asking people about me as well as spying on me?”

Shit.

“Who says I was-?”

“You can drop the act, Miss Tremaine. What? Did your bff over there tell you to do it?”

Effie remained cool. “Do you seriously think my best friend doesn’t have anything better to do than ask me to follow you around?”

“Well, what other reason could there be?”

“You’re a very attractive man.” August blanched. Effie smiled and straightened up. “And I just happen to be single.”

***

Mr Gold glanced at his best friend. “You’re a very attractive man and I just happen to be single?”

“Oh, shut up, it’s been a while,” sighed Effie. “I had to say something to put him off the scent.”

Mr Gold shook his head and continued picking at the lock. “Your flirting’s getting worse with age.”

“Oh, like you could do any better!”

“That’s neither here nor there, Elphie.”

He pushed open the door and the pair of them stepped inside August’s room at Granny’s Inn. “So, what do we expect to find in here, then?” asked Effie, looking over the desk that held the typewriter and a stack of papers. 

“Something that can tell us who he is, and what he was doing in my shop,” Mr Gold muttered. He picked up a paperweight on the desk and frowned at it. 

“What’s that?” Effie asked.

“A donkey.”

Effie frowned. “Maybe he was a man with a donkey cart. One you didn’t manage to turn into a snail.”

“Shut up, Elphie,” Mr Gold muttered, half-heartedly. He put down the paperweight and moved aside a piece of paper. Effie, glancing at him, stiffened when she saw what was on it. “That’s it? That’s what he’s after?”

“Should have known,” muttered Mr Gold, clenching his fist.

On the paper was a detailed drawing of a very familiar dagger. 

***

“You did what?” Elphaba exclaimed. 

It was a few days after she had turned up at their cottage; Bae had insisted she stay for a while, and now her best friend was casually announcing that they needed a new maid. 

“She overheard me and Bae talking about the dagger, and she saw it. It had to be done.”

“She was mute! How could she tell anyone?”

“Even mutes can draw a picture.”

“Rum!” Elphaba threw up her hands in despair. “I can’t believe you! I can’t believe I came here in the hope that I could help you when you are so far beyond help you don’t even think you need it anymore! When you first became the Dark One, I warned you about things like this! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t know how to control your magic! But that was back when you were my friend, Rum!” 

“I still am!”

“No, don’t you get it? You’ve changed! You’re not that person anymore, not the Rumplestiltskin I knew and cared about!” Elphaba fixed him with a dark look. “You’re beyond rescuing.” She snatched up her broom from where it leaned against the wall. “You’ll drive everyone away eventually! I hope you’re happy!”

***

Sunday was meant to be a day of rest, and this was truer than true for Effie, so you can imagine her annoyance when her long lie-in was interrupted by the telephone. It was, as usual, her best friend.

“Is this about the rent?” she asked, rather grumpily. 

“Why is everyone asking that today?”

Effie yawned. “Haven’t a clue. What’s up?”

“I think you may have been right about...August.”

Effie sat up straight. “What? You think..?”

“Hard to say for certain, but, yeah.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Well, what are you going to do?”

“Archie said...honesty’s the best way.”

Effie understood. “Want me to come with?”

“No. Thanks, but, this is something I need to do on my own.”

“Fly without your safety net, Rum,” she agreed, lying back down. “Good luck.”

***

Heart racing, Elphaba flew high over the trees. Once again she had detected some disturbance, something terrible had happened, and she prayed that her friends were alright. 

“Elphaba!”

She stopped short as a small blue fairy, the Blue Fairy, hovered in front of her. “I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do. Baelfire’s gone.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Gone?”

“From this land. He is in another land now, one without magic.”

“What?”

“He wanted to save his father, so I gave him the way. But his father wouldn’t be saved.”

“So you sent Bae away from him?”

“He went of his own accord. He wanted to take the Dark One with him but the Dark One would not go.”

“Without Bae...” Elphaba shook her head. “He’ll be crushed.” Then, she snapped her head up to look at the fairy. “This is your fault. I knew fairies could never be trusted!”

The Blue Fairy flinched. “I’m not responsible for Rumplestiltskin’s actions. Now I suggest you get to him; he’s in a bad way.”

“I’m not surprised! You’ve just taken away the only thing in his life he truly loves!”

***

It was coming up for midnight when Effie got the text. 

“I was wrong.”

Her heart sank. She texted back. 

“Would it help to talk?”

The reply: “No.”

Effie sighed and then pulled on her jacket. Mr Gold could push her away all he liked; she knew better. She knew he needed her at that moment. 

And her theory was confirmed when, instead of turning her away when she knocked on the door, Mr Gold pulled her into a wordless and much needed hug. Effie patted his back, gently, reminded of Baelfire whenever he was scared or anxious or upset. 

“Tell me everything.”


	20. The Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The true origins of Pinocchio are revealed and so is Elphaba's back story to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West. Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Effie confronts August about who he is and tells David Nolan that he needs to start Defying Gravity again...

August Booth received a rather rude greeting the next morning as he made his way to the apartment that Emma and Mary Margaret shared when Effie Tremaine seized him hard and slammed him against the nearest wall. 

“Let’s get one thing straight, Mr Booth!” she snapped, before he had a chance to speak. “You can mess with me all you like, but messing with my best friend by pretending to be his son, well, now you’re just asking for trouble!”

August blinked at her and then grinned, cheekily. “Take it this means you don’t fancy me after all, then?”

“Don’t play games with me! Just tell me who you are!”

“Well, you should know, Elphaba. I mean you brought me to life, even though the Blue Fairy likes to take credit for that.”

Effie released him so quickly that he fell down. “Pinocchio?”

“Yeah. Hi.”

“Well...” Stunned, Effie ran a hand through her hair. “What the Hell?!”

August offered her a sad smile as he got to his feet. “I’m afraid I haven’t exactly been a good boy.”

“You think?” Effie exclaimed, folding her arms. “I thought you were meant to look after Emma!”

“I’m afraid I was led astray. But now...” August rolled back his trouser leg. “My penance is catching up with me.”

“Jeez,” Effie murmured, staring at the wooden leg. “Wait...if you become fully wooden in a land without magic...what?”

“I’ll be lifeless as the day you breathed life into me.”

“Don’t try and get round me like that!”

“I wasn’t.”

“For once in my life I thought I’d done something good.” Effie clenched her fists and then relaxed them. “But once again...my road of good intentions led where it always does.”

“Can’t you help me?” August begged. “Get Emma to believe in the curse or something? Otherwise...otherwise...”

“I don’t have magic here, Pinocchio.” Effie glanced at him. “Anyway, you got yourself into this mess, you get yourself out. I’m through with doing good deeds if this is the way people thank me for it.”

She turned and marched away, leaving August slightly gobsmacked. 

***

Elphaba was walking along through the forest when she heard the sound. It was coming from the woodcarver’s cottage. She smiled to herself. Old Gepetto was a kindly old man who brought so much joy to children with his wooden toys, especially puppets, and yet, he always seemed sad. He had no family, not now that his parents were, well, gone, and no children of his own. 

She was suddenly reminded of the day the Wizard had said that to her: “Elphaba, I am a sentimental man, who always longed to be a father, that’s why I do the best I can to treat each citizen of Oz as son or daughter. So, Elphaba, I’d like to raise you high, ‘cause I think everyone deserves the chance to fly...”

Gepetto deserved a chance to be a father, surely? Elphaba leaned against a tree, thinking hard. How, though? He had no wife and even if he had, it would probably be too late for them to start a family. Maybe he could be an adopted father...but she didn’t fancy doing a Rumplestiltskin and trying to steal someone else’s baby. So, maybe she could create on, artificially. 

“What are you thinking, Elphaba?”

She looked up. It was the Blue Fairy. “What do you want?” she snapped.

The Blue Fairy looked offended. “Well...nothing. I was just passing.”

“If you must know, I was wondering about trying to make Gepetto happy by giving him a child of his own. If there was a way I could make one...with magic...”

“If you do, then you need to remember, all magic comes with a price.”

“Even if it’s something good? Look at him, alone with his puppets...” Elphaba straightened up. “That’s it! Puppets!”

“Elphaba, what are you thinking of?” the Blue Fairy quavered. 

“Shut up a minute!” Elphaba stepped towards the smallest tree. It looked to be in need of some TLC anyway. Opening the Grimmerie, she found the right page for what she wanted and began to chant. “Eleka, namun, vivit, ligno, te, eleka, namun, de-ex hac, eleka, amun, quercus, inet, spiritum, eleka, namae!” The tree swiftly transformed into a log which Elphaba picked up. “Eleka, namun, varde, cor, confide, beati, neemae, eleka, aeternum.”

Her words carved a heart shape across the bark. Elphaba smiled. “Yes. Let Gepetto carve a puppet from this...and he’ll be happy. Do you realise what this will mean? I’ll have done something good at long last!”

The Blue Fairy smiled. “The boy could be human, as long as he learns to be selfless, brave and true.”

Elphaba walked straight up to the woodshop and knocked at the door. “Yes, yes, I am coming!” called Gepetto as he opened the door. Seeing her, he did his best not to flinch at her green skin. Elphaba was thankful for that. “Oh, hello, Miss Thropp,” he said, politely. “Er, what can I do for you?”

“Oh, I’m not here for me. I’m here for you.” Elphaba held out the log. “I think your next puppet should be made from this wood. It’s a good log, but it does need some looking after.”

Gepetto took it from her and examined it. “Miss Thropp, you certainly know your wood. This is a good log.” He smiled. “Thank you.”

Elphaba simply straightened her hat. “I hope you can make something good from it.”

***

“Penny for them?”

“Huh?” Effie looked up at her best friend. She was sitting on the shop counter with the Grimmerie on her lap. Mr Gold had been doing the books but her quietness had distracted him. He was used to her being a lot chattier than this, unless she had something on her mind. With a sigh, Effie closed the book. “Oh, I was just thinking about Gepetto.” She glanced at him. “How is it that whenever I try and do anything good, it just blows up in my face, Rum?”

“Elphie, it’s not your fault that a lot of people are shallow and callous and think you’re wicked,” he replied, with genuine sincerity and affection. “You just had the misfortune to be born in a place where all your efforts go unrewarded but that’s not your fault.”

She managed a small smile. “Well, thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Mr Gold glanced up as Marco came into the shop. “Ah, just the man I was hoping to see.”

“Hello, Marco,” Effie smiled. 

Marco tipped his cap at her. “Morning, Effie.” Then, to Mr Gold, somewhat nervously, “You said something about a clock needing repairs?”

“Indeed I did,” replied Mr Gold, picking up the clock in question and setting it on the counter. “I’m afraid when it comes to things like this, I’m absolutely clueless.”

“Well, I’ll leave you to it, gentlemen,” Effie replied, springing off the counter. “I’ll see you later,” she added to Mr Gold as she left. 

“Later,” he agreed. 

Outside, Effie stuffed the Grimmerie into her bag and made her way to work. Passing by the playground, she was just in time to witness a rather heated exchange between Henry and Regina. 

“The curse will end,” Henry insisted, taking his lunch. “Good will win. And I’m not transferring classes.”

He turned and marched back into class, leaving Regina looking rather hurt. 

“Well, well,” Effie said, walking up to her, “looks like your little plan to get rid of Mary Margaret didn’t work after all, Madame Mayor.”

“Miss Tremaine, just because you’re feeling down at the moment, there’s no need to invent lies about me,” began Regina, coolly turning on her. 

“Spare me the act, Regina. Mr Gold told me everything.”

Regina blanched and then scowled. “Oh, he would, wouldn’t he?”

“Well, we are a team, after all,” Effie replied, meeting her eyes. “And it doesn’t look like you’re going to get rid of the school teacher so easily after all, so why don’t you just, oh, I don’t know, do us all a favour and give up?”

“Oh, I don’t think so, Miss Tremaine.” Regina smirked and swept past her. “I still have a trick or two up my sleeve.”

Elphaba shrugged. “Fine by me.” She fingered the Grimmerie in her bag, remembering the day she had first acquired it. “You’re not the only one.”

***

“Elphaba!” exclaimed Glinda. “Why couldn’t you have just stayed calm for once, instead of flying off the handle! I hope you’re happy now! I hope you’re happy how you hurt your cause forever! I hope you think you’re clever!”

Barricading the door, Elphaba rounded on her friend. “I hope you’re happy too! I hope you’re proud how you would grovel in submission to feed your own ambition! So, though I can’t imagine how, I hope you’re happy right now!”

The attic was dark and dusty and the only weapon they could find was an old broom. Elphaba clutched the Grimmerie, the most powerful book of magic in existence, to her chest. Only she could read it without even having to learn, somehow, and now she knew that it had to be kept as far away from the wicked Wizard as possible. She was trembling with anger that he, HE, the Wizard that everyone else called Wonderful, was responsible for all the Animals losing all powers of speech. She had believed in him so hard before and now her faith was shattered. 

Madame Morrible had just announced that she was a witch, before the whole of Oz, and that she needed to be brought to justice.

“Don’t be afraid,” whispered Glinda, grasping her arm. 

“I’m not,” Elphaba whispered back, “it’s the Wizard who should be afraid...of me.”

“Elphie,” begged Glinda, grabbing her hand. “Listen to me. Just say you’re sorry. You can still be with the Wizard; what you’ve worked and waited for. You can have all you ever wanted.”

“I know,” sighed Elphaba. “But I don’t want it...No! I CAN’T want is anymore.”

Something had changed within her, she knew. She was tired of playing by the rules all the time; tired of all those who simply bent and bowed to what was laid down by the Wizard and Madame Horrible Morrible. Why, she couldn’t understand it, was no one fighting to save the Animals? They had all been lead on by the Wizard and been blinded to his evil by illusions of good. It was time to trust her instinct, close her eyes...and leap.

“Glinda...it’s time to try defying gravity!”

“What?”

“I think I’ll try defying gravity. And they can’t pull me down.”

“You’re having delusions of grandeur,” Glinda insisted. 

“No, don’t you get it? I’m through accepting limits just ‘cause someone says they’re so. Some things I can’t change, but until I try, I’ll never know.” Elphaba fell to the ground and began to chant the spell that had give the Wizard’s monkeys the power of flight. 

“Well?” Glinda exclaimed, in frustration. “Where are your wings? Elphie, I really think that-”

“Look!” Elphaba exclaimed as suddenly the old broom came flying towards her. “Glinda, we’ll escape on this. Quick, get on!”

“What do you mean?”

“Come with me. Think of what we can do together. Together we’re unlimited. There’s no fight we can’t win, just you and I, defying gravity.”

Glinda shook her head. “Elphie, you’re trembling.” She picke dup a large black cloak from a hook on the wall and draped it around her. “Here.”

Elphaba looked at her friend and knew that this was it; they were choosing different paths. Grasping her hand, she looked Glinda straight in the eye. “I hope you’re happy in the end,” she said, with genuine warmth.

“You too, my friend,” Glinda replied, grasping her hand back. “Quick, Elphie, go!” she added in a shriek as the Wizard’s guards began to break down the door. 

Elphaba ran for it. The guards broke through. “Grab her!” one cried, seizing Glinda.

“No, hey, what are you doing? Let me go!” shouted Glinda. 

“It’s not her!” shouted Elphaba. “She had nothing to do with it! I’m the one you want! It’s me!”

“Look at her!” exclaimed the townsfolk as she soared over the whole of Oz by broom. “She’s wicked! Get her!”

Well, thought Elphaba, if I’m flying solo, at least I’m flying free. “To those who ground me,” she shouted down, loud enough for even the Wizard to hear her. “Take a message back from me! Tell them how I am defying gravity! And nobody, in all of Oz, no Wizard that there is, or was, is ever going to bring me down!” 

***

“Are you still mad with me?” David asked.

Effie, busily cleaning out a litter box, looked up at him. “Mad?”

“About the whole...Mary Margaret thing?”

Effie sighed and pulled off her gloves. “I don’t know if mad’s the right word. I’m just sort of a bit confused.”

“Yeah, you’re not the only one,” David agreed, leaning against the counter. 

“It’s just...David, I can understand you being uncertain about whether or not she could have done such a thing. After all, your wife and your lover-”

David flushed. “I think it’s overstating it to call us lovers, Effie.”

“Whatever. You three, it’s a little triangle you’ve got going on there, and I can understand how you felt because you’re sort of torn in the middle. I get that. But what I don’t get is why you’re not begging Mary Margaret day and night for her forgiveness.”

“I have done. But she made it very clear that she doesn’t want to see me.”

“And that’s it?” Effie blinked at him. “You’re just going to give up? Just like that?”

“What else can I do?”

“Fight for her! You two had something special!”

“I don’t really know what we had, Effie,” sighed David, shaking his head. 

Effie paused, wiping sweat from her palms onto her jeans. “David, have you ever heard me use the term “defying gravity?”

He frowned. “No. Why?”

“Well, when I talk about defying gravity, I don’t always mean trying to fly. I mean fighting back against all the norms of society, all the chains that bind and ground us every day. I do it all the time. Now I think it’s time for you to start again.”

“Again?” David stared at her. “Are you saying I used to? Before the accident?”

“Oh, yes,” Effie replied, picking up her bag. “And you can begin with Mary Margaret. You ok if I leave you to lock up?”


	21. An Apple Red As Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elphaba creates something that Regina wants to use on Snow White whilst Effie fears that Emma might not be able to break the curse after all, but why does Mr Gold not seem to care?

Effie sighed and flopped down on the counter, her head hitting the pages of the open Grimmerie. “I don’t get it, Rum; it’s still stuck on the spell to Call Winter Upon The Water.” Her best friend said nothing, so she went on “I mean, what would I need to call ice up for now? We can just wait until it snows.”

“We’d be waiting a long time,” Mr Gold pointed out, as the shop bell rang, signalling someone’s entrance. Glancing up, Effie noticed it was Regina, sat up quickly and slammed the book shut, stuffing it into her bag before Regina could see it. Thankfully her attention seemed to be focused on Mr Gold rather than Effie Tremaine. “Your Majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Mr Gold asked, feigning nonchalance with great deliberation, and bringing a smile to Effie’s face. 

“My tree is dying,” Regina snapped. “Why?”

Mr Gold raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps it’s your fertiliser.”

“Yes, maybe you should pay Moe French another visit, Madame Mayor,” Effie said, trying to keep a smirk out of her voice. “I think he’s back at work now, although whether he’ll be right again after that,” and here she glanced at Mr Gold, “accident” is debatable, but he might be able to help.” 

Mr Gold returned her smile. Regina folded her arms. “You think this is funny? Well, I’ll tell you what I think. I think it’s a sign of the curse weakening, because of Emma. But do two you care? No. You’re just content to whatever it is you're doing—while all my hard work burns.

Mr Gold looked at her carefully. “That's not all, is it? Come on, might as well get everything off your chest.”

Regina scoffed. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“I think he means Henry,” Effie chipped in. “The fact that Emma wants him back. I mean, after all, he is her son.”

“She'll have that boy over my dead body,” Regina snapped at her. 

“The curse was meant to take away Snow White and Prince Charming's happiness,” Mr Gold reminded her. “Perhaps you giving up Henry is just the price to keep the curse unbroken.”

“I think I'd rather just get rid of her,” Regina replied, coolly.

Effie laughed. “Well, good luck with that one!”

“She’s right,” Mr Gold agreed, looking a little smug himself. “We all know the repercussions of killing Miss Swan.”

“The curse would be broken,” they all said in unison. 

“That's because you two designed it that way,” Regina said. “Undo it.”

Mr Gold scoffed. “You know, even if we wanted to, we couldn't. Magic, well, is in short supply right here. And dwindling by the minute.”

Regina glanced from one to the other and then gave off a small gasp. “You want the curse broken,” she realised. “Why?”

“That's not something either of us cares to discuss,” Mr Gold replied. 

Effie shrugged at her. “We’ve all got our secrets, haven’t we?”

“Fine,” Regina snapped. “I wanna strike a new deal. One where I can get rid of Emma, without shattering the curse.”

Effie looked at her best friend, slightly startled, but Mr. Gold shook his head. “Unfortunate for you, a negotiation requires two interested parties. And, I'm already planning a trip.”

“I'll give you anything.” Regina sounded desperate and Effie had to force herself not to laugh at the notion of the Evil Queen begging for something from Rumplestiltskin the Dark One and The Wicked Witch of the West.

“You no longer have anything I want, dearie,” Mr Gold replied. “But I will give you a piece of advice, free of charge: I'd plan a trip of your own. Because once people waken up, and remember who you are, and what you did to them, they are going to be looking for blood.”

Effie looked back at Regina, who looked stricken and shrugged. “Don’t look at me,” she said as the woman’s eyes flickered to her for a second. “If he’s out, I’m out. We come as a team.”

The shop door banged as Regina left in a hurry and Effie finally allowed herself to laugh. “I’m glad you said that,” Mr Gold said, softly, as she sobered up. “About being a team.”

“Well, we are, aren’t we?” Effie shrugged. 

Mr Gold smiled and suddenly she saw traces of the old Rumplestiltskin she had grown up with there. “I know that sometimes I do things without thinking, or hide things from you...”

Effie put her head on one side. “But you do usually have a good reason for it.”

She reached out and patted his hand. Mr Gold nodded. “You’re the only one who really understands, Elphie.”

“Why else do you think we’re friends?” she laughed. 

“I thought it was because a certain girl with green skin was once thrown into the lake by the village bullies and the spinner’s son pulled her out again,” Mr Gold quipped. 

Effie giggled. “That may have had something to do with it.”

***

“Here it is,” Elphaba muttered to herself, flicking over the final page of the Grimmerie before reaching the spell she was after. Just seeing it sent a shudder through her spine as the image of the skull covering the apple with black poison trickling from a bite in it shimmered on the page above the spell title. “Spell to Initiate Sleeping Death. Now, let’s see...” Getting to her feet, Elphaba pulled the various bottles and pots from the shelf where she kept her Sorcery supplies and began to add the ingredients required to the cauldron. From the window ledge, Chistery watched her, his head cocked on one side in curiosity as she worked quickly, checking the book from time to time. Presently he chittered, and Elphaba snapped her head up to look at him. 

“Oh, Chistery,” she said, “please try and keep talking Ozish! Otherwise all my work will have been for nothing!”

“Miss...Miss...Elphba...what...what...ooh...do?” Chistery tried. 

Elphaba sighed. “Close enough, I suppose. I’m trying to make a poisoned apple.”

Chistery let out a high-pitched screech and leapt onto her shoulder, his tail almost knocking the bottle from her hand as it curled around in alarm. Elphaba jumped. “Chistery, be careful! This stuff is highly dangerous!”

“Oo-oo-why?”

“Because if the quantities are too much, it won’t be Sleeping Death but Actual Death!”

“Oo-oo-why...oo...poy...poy...poison...napple?”

“Because any second now, The Blind Witch is going to walk through that door and demand one, according to Rum, anyway,” Elphaba replied, glad that he was trying to talk Ozish at least. Tying a string around the stem of the green and russet coloured apple she had chosen, Elphaba lowered the thing into the now prepared batch of “poison” or to use a better term “extreme sleeping draught that can only be counter-acted by True Love’s Kiss,” and then pulled it back out again, watching as the potion ran down the skin, forming a skull-shape, as shown in the book, for a moment, and then the skin blossomed a deep, blood red colour as the potion dried into it. 

“Pri-eeh,” Chistery crowed, reaching for it, but Elphaba quickly shoved a green apple into his hand. “No, Chistery, have that one if you’re hungry; I don’t want an almost dead Flying Monkey on my hands.”

Chistery chittered something unintelligible and hopped to the floor, cradling his apple in one hand like a boy with a ball, just as the door of the castle boomed open. Elphaba quickly snatched up her broom, just in case for any reason it wasn’t The Blind Witch, and then made her way downstairs in a swirl of black. If Rum was right about this, and he generally was, then this apple was going to end up in the hands of Regina, and she just hoped that whoever the Evil Queen planned to use it on had already found their True Love.

***

Effie yawned as she pushed open her garden gate. Today had been pretty tough on her and all she wanted to do was collapse into her own bed and sleep until lunch the next morning. Before she could begin to dig out her house keys, however, a voice stopped her in her tracks. 

“I hope you’re pleased with yourself right now.”

Frowning, Effie turned to meet Regina’s smirk. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, flicking her hair out of her eyes. 

“Pleased that your spell for the Poisoned Apple worked,” Regina went on, sounding genuinely congratulatory, as if Effie had just won the Employee of the Month Award. However her face told a different story; it held only triumph. 

“Sleeping Death?” Effie was still confused. “I only ever cast that spell once, a long time ago, back in the Enchanted Forest. And, if I remember rightly, you used it on Snow; and then Charming woke her up.”

“But no one ever gave a thought as to what happened to the rest of the apple afterwards,” Regina went on.

Effie felt a dull THUNK in the pit of her stomach and she took a step towards the woman she was constantly at odds with. “What did you do now?”

“I took care of my little problem. You see, Miss Thropp, I told you before; I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

Regina walked away and it took Effie a few moments to allow her words to sink in. Then, as they did so, realization hit her like a ton of bricks and she was running before she could stop herself, tearing down the road like a Cheetah in a race. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and then, as she rounded a corner, she almost collided with the very man she was looking for. 

“Have I done something wrong that you feel the need to knock me off my feet, Elphie?” Mr Gold asked, just managing to get out of the way in time as she skidded to a half, panting like mad. 

“Regina...she used...the...” Effie shook her head and straightened, trying to stem the rapidity of her heart rate. She exhaled and then continued in her normal voice. “She used the Poisoned Apple, on Emma; she must have somehow got it back from the Enchanted Forest!”

“Using Jefferson’s hat, I imagine,” Mr Gold nodded. 

Effie glanced at him. “She told you already?”

“She did.”

“Then what the hell are we waiting for? We need to save Emma...somehow!”

Mr Gold frowned at her. “Elphie-”

“Don’t you get it, Rum?! She hasn’t met her True Love yet! If she eats that apple, she won’t wake up!”

“Elphie-” 

“The curse will never be broken!”

“Elphie-” 

“She’ll just be in a state of suspended animation for the rest of her life, the rest of our lives!”

“Elphaba!”

Effie jumped and shut up at once. Mr Gold took a deep breath. “Haven’t you forgotten the one thing you always taught me about magic?”

Effie thought for a second. “All magic comes with a price. But why should Emma have to pay it?”

“I don’t think she’s going to.”

“You don’t think? Not good enough!” Effie threw up her hands at once. “How about a very definite “She won’t” or “It’s going to be alright,” for once? I don’t want maybes or probablys or mights! Point is, Emma is going to eat that apple and then she is going to fall into a sleep just like her mother did and no amount of magic anyone here has is going to wake her up! Don’t you even care?”

Mr Gold didn’t even flinch as she shouted at him, he simply let her do it. Despairingly, Effie turned and ran from him in the direction of Mary Margaret’s place, praying that there might be some loophole somewhere in the Grimmerie that could wake Emma from her sleep; and then she saw the door of the house fly open and Emma burst from it, looking terrified and panicked all at once. 

“Emma!” Effie shouted in relief, tearing towards her.

“Effie! Oh, thank God! Someone!” Emma cried as Effie threw her arms about the woman for a hug before she could stop herself. Emma quickly wriggled away from her, however, uncertainly, and seized her arms. “It’s Henry! Do you know anything about First Aid; or medicine?”

“Why; what’s happened?”

“He ate this turnover Regina made; he said it was poisonous, and I didn’t believe him but then he just collapsed...and I don’t know what to do!”

Effie blanched and hurried into the apartment, Emma hot on her heels. Tumbling into the kitchen, Effie threw herself down beside Henry, checking for any signs of life, even though she knew there would be none. “Henry,” she murmured, to save face. “Come on, now, Henry.” The boy lay unmoving in her arms and she quickly retrieved the dropped turnover, examined it and then took a sniff. “Apple.”

“What?” Emma asked.

“It’s poison,” Effie replied, turning to her. Part of her was relieved knowing that there was still a way to break the curse, although how in Oz they were going to save Henry from the Sleeping Death was beyond her. But there had to be a way, somehow, and whilst there was any strength left in her to defy gravity, then by the Unnamed God, she would fight to find it. After all, Henry was her friend. 

She took a deep breath as Emma’s face drained of what colour it had left in it. “Call Dr Whale,” she ordered her. “Let’s pray we’re not too late to do something. And Emma,” she added as Emma snatched up her phone. Emma turned worried eyes on her, and Effie knew that she had to relieve that worry, that fear, soothe it as best she could somehow. “This isn’t your fault. Ok?” 

With a shaky nod, Emma dialled the number. “We need an ambulance here, now!”


	22. A Land Without Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In preparing to reunite with her magic, Effie Tremaine reunites with someone she once thought long dead...

Elphaba smiled into her scrying ball, watching the scene unfold before her. Prince Charming had been released from his prison by the Huntsman and now he was en route to finding Snow White. 

“Well done, Hunter,” she smiled to herself, before conjuring the spell that would ensure Rumplestiltskin would hear her. “Rum, we’re on. Get in position.”

***

Effie ran alongside Emma as they followed the nurses wheeling the gurney into a ward. ‘Poor Henry,’ she thought, feeling a pang that he was going through this. After all, they were friends and he reminded her very much of her own son, and to some extent Baelfire. If anything happened to the young boy, if there was no way to wake him up, she knew she would never forgive herself for it. 

“There’s no pupil response,” Whale said as he examined the unconscious boy. “What happened? Did he fall, hit his head?”

“He ate this.” Emma held up the turnover Regina had given her, wrapped in a clear plastic bag. “I think it’s poisoned.”

“His airway’s clear. Did he vomit? Any convulsions or disorientation?”

“He took a bite of this and then he just collapsed,” Emma insisted. “So run tests for arsenic or bleach or Drano or whatever’s could have done this to him.”

“The boy is showing no symptoms that would suggest neurotoxins,” began Whale. 

Effie had had enough. “But what else could it be, Whale? Use your brains! Check him over; there’s not a mark on him, and I doubt it’s an allergic reaction if that,” she pointed to the turnover, “was the last thing he ate. Last time I checked, Henry’s not allergic to apples, or pastry!”

Emma looked worriedly at her son. “He’s gonna be ok, though, right?”

“Right now we just need to stabilize him,” Whale replied. “Is there anything else you can remember? Any little detail?”

“I already told you everything. DO something!” Emma snapped. 

“This is weird,” Effie murmured, hoping that she would throw Emma onto the right track. “I mean it’s like-”

Emma ran a hand over Henry’s book of fairytales and then suddenly her head snapped up. Effie glanced at her and realised what had happened. Emma believed. 

“Like magic,” Emma finished. 

The sound of running heels alerted Effie to Regina’s presence. “Where’s my son?” she demanded. 

Before Effie could come back with a cutting remark, Emma grabbed her arm. “You did this!” she snapped and then dragged Regina into the nearby supply closet. Startled by Emma’s sudden twist of violence, although she also admired her for it, Effie ran after them, mainly to make sure that Emma didn’t get hurt and also to ensure that she didn’t miss any of the following conversation.

“What the hell are you doing?” Regina snapped back, wrenching her arm free. “My son-!”

“Is sick because of you!” Emma cried. “That apple turnover you gave me – he ate it!”

“What?” Regina looked aghast. “It was meant for you!”

“Well, congratulations,” Effie cut in. “You tore the heart out of one thing you cared about, now you’ve gone and poisoned the other. I’d say you’ve excelled yourself.”

Regina shot a look at her. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Oh, I wasn’t going to miss this,” Effie replied, coolly. 

Emma turned to her. “It’s true, isn’t it? All of it? The magic? The fairytales?”

Effie nodded. “Yes, Emma, it’s true. You really are Snow White’s child; she really is the Evil Queen; I really am the Wicked Witch of the West, although I would just like to point out that in this case I am actually on your side, not hers.”

“You were the one who gave me the potion for the poisoned apples,” Regina snapped. 

“I didn’t know you were going to use them on Emma,” Effie replied. “Actually, I’m surprised you were able to get hold of one again. I mean, they don’t exactly grow on trees, do they?”

“I was leaving town, why couldn’t you just leave things alone?” Emma asked Regina. 

“Because as long as you’re alive, Henry will never be mine,” Regina answered, stiffly. 

“If Emma dies, he’ll never be yours,” Effie countered, folding her arms. 

“Oh, will you shut up!” Regina snapped. 

“Fine, you’re right,” Effie agreed. “We all care about Henry, and arguing will get us nowhere.”

“Can you do something?” Emma asked her.

Effie sensed her desperation and felt sorry for her. “I don’t have magic.”

“You have the Grimmerie!” Regina retorted. 

“Yeah, and it doesn’t work because of your bloody curse!” Effie snapped back, pulling the book from her bag to show her. “All I’ve got is a spell to call up ice and that’s no good right now!” She sighed and thought. “Rum might know.”

“Rum?” Emma frowned.

Effie smiled. “Mr Gold, or Rumplestiltskin as he usually goes by. If he can’t help, no one can. Come on.”

***

“Rum, if your answer to this question is “Yes,” I’m going to kill you,” Effie said, walking into the shop, followed closely by Emma and Regina. “Did you know this was going to happen?”

“Of course,” Mr Gold replied, calmly.

“I’m going to kill you.”

Mr Gold looked over the top of her head. “I told you all magic comes with a price, dearie,” he said to Regina. 

“Henry shouldn’t have to pay it,” she responded.

“No, you should,” Mr Gold agreed. “However, we are where we are.”

“Can you help us?” Emma asked.

Effie was shooting him a dangerous look but Mr Gold wasn’t worried. “Of course.” He glanced at Effie. “Oh, come on, Elphie; don’t you remember why you promised me any spell from the Grimmerie?”

Effie slapped a hand to her forehead, unable to believe how stupid she had been. “True Love!”

“What?” Emma frowned. 

“The most powerful magic there is,” Effie explained. “It can break any curse.”

“And luckily for you, I happen to have bottled some,” Mr Gold added. 

“You did?” Regina asked. 

“Indeed.”

“That’s why you can break the curse,” Effie explained, knowing that her best friend would go onto a lengthy explanation if she didn’t get in there first. “The potion’s made from strands of your parents’ hair.”

“And I saved some of it for a rainy day,” Mr Gold agreed.

“Well, it’s storming like a bitch,” Emma replied. “Where is it?”

“Where it is, isn’t the problem,” Mr Gold replied. “Getting to it should worry you.”

“Enough riddles,” Regina ordered. “What do we do?”

“You do nothing. It has to be Miss Swan.”

“He’s my son. It should be me.”

“Actually, I think you’ll find Henry’s her son,” Effie countered. “And since she’s born of True Love, it has to be her that finds it, sorry,” she added to Emma.

Emma nodded. “I can do it.”

“So, where is it?” Effie asked.

“Tell me, your Majesty,” Mr Gold said to Regina, “is our friend still in the basement?”

Regina’s face clouded. “Oh, you twisted little imp. You hid it with her?”

“Oh, no, no, no, not with her. In her.”

“How in the name of the Unnamed God did you manage that?” Effie asked, surprised. 

Mr Gold grinned at her. “That’s a question you should put to Prince Charming, Elphie.”

“Who is “her”?” Emma asked. 

“Someone you should be prepared for,” Mr Gold replied, opening a large box, containing Charming’s sword. “Where you’re going, you’re gonna need this.”

***

Effie pulled the broomstick out from under her bed. Something told her that she needed to be prepared for what was about to happen next, or rather, someone, that someone being Mr Gold.

“Going to kill me?” he had asked after Emma and Regina had left. 

“Thought about it and decided I couldn’t live with the guilt,” Effie had replied. 

“I appreciate it,” Mr Gold had grinned, and then informed her of what he had planned. “The curse is about to be broken,” he had assured her. “With True Love’s Kiss.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Rum,” she had replied, before leaving to fetch her broom. Gripping it in both hands, she closed her eyes, realising just how much she had missed flying. Chistery came and jumped upon her shoulder, chittering as usual, and she smiled at him. “We’re going to fly again, Chistery, and we’ll be back in Oz, back where we belong before you know it. And you’ll be talking again, and I’ll be-” She stopped and glanced at her hands. “I’ll be green again. I have missed that.”

A sudden knock at the door caused her to jump and frown. “I wasn’t expecting anyone,” she said to Chistery, who hopped down from her shoulder and ran into the kitchen. Effie picked up her broom and ran to answer the front door. Pulling it open...she stared.

“Hi,” said the man on the other side, tall, handsome, and dressed in hospital clothing. “Are you Effie Tremaine? I was told to find you.”

Effie fainted.

***

Elphaba grinned at Rumplestiltskin. “It’s done?”

“It’s done, dearie,” he grinned back at her, impishly. “Now we just have to wait for the one who’ll break the curse.”

“And we’re absolutely certain that it’ll be Snow and Charming’s child to do that?” Elphaba checked. 

“Absolutely,” Rumplestiltskin replied. “If those two don’t have True Love, then I don’t know who does.”

***

“Are you ok?”

Effie opened her eyes. She was lying with her head on someone’s knee...wait. She knew that voice. She blinked and his face swam into focus. Her heart lurched and she reached up her hand. “Fiyero?”

“Sorry?” the man frowned.

Her hand touched his cheek and she realised he was real, not just some cruel figment of her imagination. “Oh, Fiyero!” she whispered, tears filling her eyes. “You’re alive. I thought-”

“Um, we know each other?” he asked, awkwardly. 

Pulling herself together, Effie sat up properly, curling her knees up and cupping his face in both her hands, hardly daring to believe that he was really here with her again. “Yes,” she breathed. “Oh, you won’t remember, but we...we went to the same uni, and, well...” She didn’t know how to go on, so she simply threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “Oh, Gods, I’ve missed you!” The man returned her hug, gingerly, and she held him at arms’ length. “Where have you been all this time?”

“Well, I was in this hospital...” he began. “And...there was a woman, who kept looking at me, through the door. She never said anything, just looked, smugly.” 

“Regina.” Effie muttered, curling her hands into fists. “Well, don’t worry, she won’t be bothering you again. Not if I have anything to say about it, at least.”

She got to her feet and held out her hand to pull him up. “Who told you to find me?”

“A man...I think he said his name was...” He furrowed his brow a second. “Jefferson.”

‘Oh bless you, Jefferson,’ Effie thought. 

“He just said that I needed to find you and tell you what had happened to me,” he went on.

Effie nodded. “Right. Well, come sit down and I’ll...” 

‘What the hell am I going to do?’ she thought. ‘If he can’t remember..? Oh, Rum, why did you not prepare me for this?’

She had just sat him down and was about to go into the kitchen to put the kettle on when he suddenly grabbed her hand, looking confused. “Wait!”

“It’s alright, I’m just going in there,” Effie began.

“No, Elphaba, wait!” 

She gasped and stared at him, realising what was happening. The curse. It was broken. His memories were back. “Fi-Fiyero?”

Fiyero leapt to his feet and grabbed her for a hug, his mouth finding hers with a sudden longing that she had almost forgotten either of them could possess. Losing herself for a second, Effie flung her arms about him and kissed him back. Finally, Fiyero broke the kiss, looking over her with a small frown. “Elphaba, did Regina do this to you?”

“Do what?” she asked, hardly daring to believe that this was happening, after all this time. 

“You skin. I mean, it’s not emerald anymore.”

Elphaba laughed, softly. “That’s because of the curse that brought us here. It’ll wear off when the magic’s back.”

“Elphaba, I’ve missed you so much,” Fiyero said, softly, and then kissed her again.

Effie smiled, her heart racing. “I’ve missed you too, and...I never said it before, because I was scared, and I didn’t know if I wanted it, but now I know that I definitely do. I love you.”

“I love you too, Elphaba,” Fiyero smiled back. 

“I thought Regina had killed you.”

Fiyero shook his head. “She wanted you to think that, but I think she was actually too afraid to do that, or else she wanted to use me as a bargaining chip or something. So she locked me in her dungeon. Apparently you weren’t the first person she’d done that to.” 

Effie was about to ask what he meant when they both noticed the burst of purple smoke surrounding the still open front door. With a frown, Effie ran to the doorway, broom in her hand and Fiyero in her wake. Then, realising, a smile spread over her face.

“What’s going on?” Fiyero asked. 

“Magic.” Already she could feel it tingling through her veins. “Magic’s returning to Storybrooke.” Seizing his hand, she squeezed it tightly, the thrill rushing through her. She would take to the skies again, and fight Regina with all her strength until she was beaten for good. “Just wait, Fiyero,” she whispered, causing him to look at her. Her eyes were shining, a look he had once thought long lost, as the magic continued to wash over Storybrooke and she raised her broom in the air. “No more being grounded. It’s defying gravity all the way from now on, come what may or hell to pay!”


End file.
